Guwahati, January 15: The usual enthusiasm was visible even on a hectic day with group matches being played on 15 tables on the opening day of the 75th Junior and Youth National Table Tennis championships, here at Deshbakt Tarun Ram Phukan Indoor Stadium on Wednesday.

All top teams made the cut as if it was a routine they were going through. But there were few hitches for some teams with another round of matches yet to be gone through to get a clear picture. But even at the end of the day, a guess could be made about who are the favourites to enter the second stage or the main draw.

In fact, there were hardly any surprises about the calibre of the teams that are competing here. Their first and foremost job, however, would be to qualify for the main draw and then take things as they come.

Every team or, for that matter, the paddlers participating here knew full well the substance of progress. As a team, they have a lot at stake when they play for their states or institutions which provide all facilities, including some institutions extending scholarships. Every step they take forward means they have every chance of inching close to glory in team events.

With a crowded schedule, it always becomes a problem for the organizers to complete the day’s event, sometimes going beyond the allotted hours. In the best-of-five format, the bigger teams normally don’t take time to finish their job, but teams that are on equal terms tend to drag on going to the full distance.

Of course, the opening day saw some matches being extended fully while the top teams just dismissed their opponents of their presence with quality play. Teams likes Maharashtra A, Tamil Nadu, PSPB Academy boys, West Bengal, North Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Delhi made mincemeat of their opponents to sound a grim warning to teams in their groups.

However, things could change for the better when they will be put to the acid test when the main draw matches take place tomorrow evening.