WTT Youth Contender: Indian Players Dominate Vadodara, Securing 22 Out of 24 Titles

Vadodara, March 1 (NationPress) Ankur Bhattacharjee showcased his dominance in the U/19 boys’ category by defeating Abhinandh Pradhivadhi 3-0 (11/5, 18/16, 11/5) in the finals of the WTT Youth Contender Vadodara 2025 on Saturday. Although Abhinandh displayed resilience in the second set, pushing Ankur to the edge, he quickly regained control to win the third game with ease. Bhattacharjee completed the category without losing a single set, confirming his status as the pre-tournament favorite.

Divyanshi Bhowmick clinched another gold in the U/15 category, bringing her total to two individual gold medals alongside one silver in the U/15 mixed category. She emerged as the most decorated player of the tournament.

The U/15 girls’ final featured Divyanshi Bhowmick against Satya Aspathi (USA), with Divyanshi winning 3-1 (11/6, 7/11, 11/6, 11/6). This achievement marks a significant milestone for Divyanshi, making her the Indian player with the highest medal count at this event, including two golds in U/15 and U/17 singles and a silver in mixed doubles.

Syndrela Das triumphed in the U/19 girls’ singles after coming back from a 1-2 deficit against Ananya Chande. Syndrela maintained her composure even when behind and ultimately secured the title. The match featured extensive rallies that tested both players, but Syndrela’s powerful forehand proved decisive.

Sahil Rawat executed a flawless final to win the U/15 boys’ category, defeating Atharva Nawarange 3-0 (11/4, 11/5, 11/6). Atharva had a notable semi-final run, overcoming the 4th seed Aditya Das, but struggled to match Sahil’s powerful forehand shots. Sahil emerged as a deserving champion, dropping only one set throughout the tournament.

Divija Paul dominated Avni Janghu in the final of the U/11 girls’ category with a convincing score of 3-0 (11/4, 11/4, 11/8). Avni had previously eliminated top seed Aadya Baheti in the semifinals, while Divija efficiently handled the second seed, Jinaya Vadhan. In the U/11 boys’ category, Ishaan Goyal triumphed over Taavi Samaraweera from Sri Lanka in a nail-biting five-set match. Despite trailing 2-1, Ishaan rallied to win the final two sets 11/7 and 11/4, clinching the championship.

Earlier, the U/19 boys’ semifinals were dominated by Ankur Bhattacharjee, who showcased his skill by defeating Preyesh Suresh 3-1 (11/8, 11/4, 11/5) to set up a final against Abhinandh Pradhivadhi, who bested second seed Choi Jiwook (Korea) 3-0 (11/8, 11/6, 11/5). Jiwook struggled to keep pace with Abhinandh throughout the match.

Ananya Chande continued her strong performance, winning against Jennifer Varghese 3-1 in the semifinals. She maintained her momentum from the quarterfinals, where she defeated the 4th seed Taneesha Kotecha. Meanwhile, Syndrela Das had a comparatively smoother path to the finals, dropping minimal sets along the way, including a comfortable 3-0 victory over Pritha Vartikar in the semifinals.

The WTT Youth Contender Vadodara concluded on Saturday, marking a tremendous success and paving the way for future and larger WTT events in India. This was India’s inaugural WTT Youth Contender event, and the hosts showcased their strength.

Final results:

U/19 Boys: Ankur Bhattacharjee bt Abhinandh Pradhivadhi 3-0, 11/5, 18/16, 11/5

U/19 Girls: Syndrela Das bt Ananya Chande 3-2, 11/8, 7/11, 5/11, 11/9, 11/6

U/15 Boys: Sahil Rawat bt Atharva Nawarange 3-0, 11/4, 11/5, 11/6

U/15 Girls: Divyanshi Bhowmick bt Satya Aspathi 3-1, 11/6, 7/11, 11/6, 11/7.