Bahrain: Indian boys blanked out Egypt 3-0 to enter the quarterfinals of the Volkswagen World Junior Table Tennis Championships here on Sunday night. They next run into South Korea in the quarter-finals to be held later on Monday afternoon which will ensure a place in the medal round.

The Indian paddlers, seeded fifth, did exceedingly well. Soumyajit Ghosh, despite some early resistance coming from Mohamed Shouman, put India ahead in the first match winning his match 11-3, 8-11, 11-5, 11-7. Though Gosh took the first game rather easily, he lost 8-11 after leading initially. However, he came back strongly in the next two to shut out the challenge from Shouman.

Harmeet Desai, a little wobbly to begin with, overcame Omar Bedair 11-8, 12-10, 11-4 with fortunes fluctuating in the first two games and points changing hand very quickly. But once he ran into a comfortable 2-0 lead, the third game became a mere formality for Desai to complete it.

Like Ghosh, G. Sathiyan began impressively in the first game against Shady Magdy, taking it easily but then lost the second at 9-11. He, however, regained his composure and kept attacking his opponent to wrap it up 11-4, 9-11, 11-9, 11-8.

Coach Kamlesh Mehta was impressed with the way his boys put it across the Egyptians. He said his boys would do even better in their matches against the Koreans in the quarterfinals. “The boys are confident and I am sure they are up to the challenge,” he said.