Indore, January 26: Eight seed Archana Girish Kamath and 13th seeded Ronit Bhanja sealed their quarterfinal berths in the 2016 ITTF World Junior Circuit Finals at the Abhay Prashal here today. But Manav Thakkar will have to wait until tomorrow to know his fate as top-seeded Slovenian Darko Jorgic subdued the Indian while Selenadeepthi Selvakumar bowed out without a fight.

Archana, after felling Portugal opponent Raquel Andrade in a relatively easy first round outing, took on second seed Tze Wang Mak in what was considered a tough match. But the Indian did not show any inhibition and went about her task methodically despite losing the first game. The players were on equal term in the second but Archana pulled it off to first level on extended points and then take the 2-1 lead. However, the Hong Kong paddler was up to the task and restored parity.

It was then Archna played to her full potential and took the next two to pull the shutters on the second-seeded player for what was the first biggest upset of the tournament.

Next in line was Ronit Bhanja. He may not have much to show this season—he was part of the West Bengal squad that claimed the Junior Boys team title—but surprised his peers with a second consecutive win in his group when he downed Yanapong Panagigun from Thailand 4-1 to ensure the last eight berth ahead of Manav. The Indian was very calculative and measured when he defended or attached and the Thai simply wilted under the onslaught.

What remains to be seen is if both Archana, who next runs into Amy Wang of USA and Ronit, who takes on Japanese Yukiya Uda, can take the top perch in their groups and keep clean slates. It may be easy for Archana, having struck a nice rhythm, but it will be a big asks for Ronit to repeat against the Japanese what he did to his rivals today.

As for Manav, he is still in with a chance as he has to beat American Victor Liu, seeded three places behind him at 10, to secure the second spot in his group.  

However, these are early results as the real showdown will start from the knockout stage tomorrow when Hong Kong, Japan and, especially the Romanian players, show their real intent.

Earlier, Manav posted a fantastic 4-0 win over his Australian rival Rohan Dhooria to set the ball rolling and Ronit Bhanja followed suit with a 4-3 verdict in the first round over Taipei’s Li Hsin-Yang, the eighth seeded player.

Archana, too, began sluggishly before overpowering Portugal’s Raquel Andrade while Selenadeepthi could not match the guile of Taipei’s Pei-Ling Su, seeded sixth, who pounded her with easy winners.

Results (Stage 1):

Junior Boys:

First Round: Group 1: Manav Thakkar bt Rohan Dhooria (Aus) 11-4, 11-2, 11-8, 11-3, Darko Jorgic (Slo) bt Victor Liu (USA) 11-7, 7-11, 11-6, 11-8, 11-7; Group 2: Yukiya Uda (Jpn) bt Yanapong Panagigun (Thai) 11-9, 11-5, 9-11, 11-8, 11-9, Ronit Bhanja bt Li Hsin-Yang (TPE) 11-5, 11-6, 7-11, 4-11, 9-11, 11-8, 11-8; Group 3: Koyo Kanamitsu (Jpn) bt Mohammed Abdul Wahhab (Qtr) 11-4, 11-6, 11-7, 9-11, 11-3, Alexandru Manole (Rou) bt Omar Ammous (Tun) 11-9, 7-11, 12-10, 11-13, 11-8, 11-8; Group 4: Tobias Hippler (Ger) bt Rashed Sanad (Bah) 11-5, 9-11, 11-5, 12-10, 11-8, Chi-Chien Lai (TPE) bt Nawaf Al-Malki (Qtr) 11-4, 11-9, 11-3, 11-6.

Second Round: Group 1: Darko Jogic bt Manav Thakkar 9-11, 11-9, 11-7, 11-7, 3-11, 11-8, Victor Liu (USA) bt Rohan Dhooria (Aus) 11-3, 11-9, 11-8, 11-5; Group 2: Ronit Bhanja bt Yanapong Panagigun 11-7, 11-7, 11-13, 11-5, 11-7, Hsin-Yang Li bt Yukia Uda 4-11, 11-9, 14-12, 11-4, 13-11; Group 3: Koyo Kanamitsu bt Alexandru Manole 8-11, 12-10, 11-8, 11-5, 11-7, Abdul Wahhab bt Omar Ammous 13-11,11-6, 11-5, 11-7; Group 4: Rashed Sanad bt Nawaf Al-Malki 12-10, 11-4, 11-2, 11-6, Chi-Chien Lai bt Tobias Hippler 13-11, 11-5, 11-7, 9-11, 11-8.

Junior Girls:

First Round: Group 1: Soo Wai Yam Minnie (HKG) bt Caroline Hajok (Ger) 11-8, 11-2, 11-5, 9-11, 11-4, Sih-Han Fang (TPE) bt Abir Haj Salah (Tun) 6-11, 11-1, 11-9, 11-3, 11-2; Group 2: Tze Wing Mak (HKG) bt Amy Wang (USA) 11-8, 13-11, 11-4, 11-5, Archana G. Kamath bt Raquel Andrade (Por) 15-13, 11-7, 7-11, 11-8, 11-8; Group 3: Pei-Ling Su (TPE) bt Selenadeepthi Selvakumar 10-12, 11-4, 11-5, 11-2, 11-7, Kana Takeuchi (Jpn) bt Andreea Clapa (Rou) 15-13, 6-11, 6-11, 11-7, 5-11,11-4, 11-4; Group 4: Andreea Dragoman (Rou) bt Martina Kohatsu (Bra) 11-5, 11-5, 11-6, 11-6, Yuko Kato (Jpn) bt Jiamuwa Wu (Aus) 8-11, 11-8, 8-11, 9-11, 11-5, 11-6, 12-10.

Second Round: Group 1: Soo Wei Yam Minnie (HKG) bt Sih-Han Fang (TPE) 11-9, 11-4, 11-5, 11-5, Caroline Hajok (Ger) bt Abir Haj Salah (Tun) 11-5, 5-11, 11-8, 7-11, 11-8, 11-4; Group 2: Archana Kamath bt Tze Wing Mak (HKG) 10-12, 12-10, 11-4, 7-11, 11-8, 11-5, Amy Wang (USA) bt Raquel Andrade (Por0 13-15, 12-10, 11-3, 11-9, 11-9; Group 3: Andreea Clapa bt Selenadeepthi Selvakumar 12-10, 8-11, 11-5, 11-4, 11-5, Kana Takeuchi bt Pei-Ling Su 5-11, 11-9, 11-8, 3-11, 11-5, 11-6; Group 4: Jiamuwa Wu bt Martina Kohastsu 11-9, 11-5, 11-9, 9-11, 11-5, Andreea Drogaman bt Yuko Kato 9-11, 11-5, 4-11, 11-6, 11-8, 11-9.