Alappuzha, February 19: The team from Delhi not only justified their top-seed billing but also kept their slate clean in the Youth Girls Under-15 category of the UTT 84th edition of the Inter-State Sub-Junior and Cadet Championships at the YMCA’s N.C. John Memorial Halls today.

Delhi girls beat Bihar 3-0 and followed it up with a similar verdict against Petroleum Sports Promotion Board Academy paddlers to qualify for the knockout stage, beginning tomorrow. Led by Vanshika Mudgal and Avisha Karmakar, they outplayed their opponents Mahi Gupta (11-4, 11-1, 11-5) and Ananya Kumari (11-2, 11-4, 11-3) in the singles and in the doubles (11-1, 11-5, 11-4) to wrap it up quickly.

The match between the two weaker sides tonight will throw up the second team from Group A to join Delhi in the second stage.

Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Assam, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu and Kerala in Groups B, C, D, E and F, respectively, are assured of their knockout berths as they led the respective group charts with four points each. However, Haryana and Karnataka could emerge as the qualifiers from Group G, while Gujarat and Chandigarh are likely to enter the second stage from Group H.

With the last three groups having four-team, each team has a match to play, and their match results will confirm the qualifiers. Tamil Nadu has one group match against Kerala, and irrespective of the outcomes, they should make the grade from Group F. The two southern outfits defeated their rivals, Pondicherry and Odisha.

The best first-round match in the morning was between Kerala and Pondicherry, the latter taking the former down to the wire. Tia Mundenkurian defeated S. Shivasri 3-11, 11-8, 11-6, 13-11 after some struggle in the opening tie, but Edwina Edward lost her rubber to Iniya of Pondicherry 9-11, 11-9, 13-15, 12-14 that brought the pressure back on the hosts.

However, the Kerala duo thwarted the threat, winning their doubles against Shivasari and Iniya 11-6, 11-3, 6-11, 11-13, 11-9 and went 2-1 up. Their joy was short-lived as Shivasri blanked out Edwina 15-13, 11-6, 13-11 in a fightback to pull level. Yet, the cool-headed Tia defeated Iniya 11-7, 11-8, 11-9 to ensure their knockout berth.

In the Under-11 and Under-13 sections, the singles group qualifications will get over tonight, and the qualifiers will get down to serious business tomorrow when the main draw matches begin.

Team Results:

Group A: Round 1: Delhi bt Bihar 3-0;

Round 2: Delhi bt PSPBA 3-0.

Group B: Round 1: Uttar Pradesh bt Uttarakhand 3-0;

Round 2: Uttar Pradesh bt Chhattisgarh 3-0.

Group C: Round 1: Maharashtra bt Punjab 3-0;

Round 2: Maharashtra bt Goa 3-0.

Group D: Round 1: Assam bt Andhra Pradesh 3-0;

Round 2: Assam bt Himachal Pradesh 3-1.

Group E: Round 1: West Bengal bt Daman & Diu 3-0;

Round 2: West Bengal bt J & K 3-0.

Group F: Round 1: Tamil Nadu bt Odisha 3-0; Kerala bt Pondicherry 3-2;

Round 2: Kerala bt Odisha 3-0; Tamil Nadu bt Pondicherry 3-0.

Group G: Round 1: Haryana bt Rajasthan 3-1; Karnataka bt Telangana 3-2.

Round 2: Telangana bt Rajasthan 3-1.

Group H: Round 1: Chandigarh bt Madhya Pradesh 3-0; Gujarat bt Jharkhand 3-0.

Round 2: Gujarat bt Chandigarh 3-0.