Sinha regiment win wheel chair tennis
View(s):Sinha Regiment represented by Upali Rajakaruna and Lionel Senaratne emerged champions at the Inter Regiment Wheel Chair Tennis Doubles of the Sri Lanka Army Para Sports Festival in the finals played at the Sri Lanka Tennis Association courts on Friday.
- Pic by Anuradha Bandara
In a final played over for two hours the Sinha regiment pair beat Gamini Dissanayake and Sunil Perera of the Gamunu Regiment in a close battle to win 6-4, 7-6. Playing in the fading light Sinha Regiment came back strongly to win on the tie-breaker.
The first set was won by Sinha Regiment pair easily 6-4 but Gamini Dissanayake and Sunil Perera the Gamunu pair came back to the game as they led 4-2 at one stage in the second set. Failing to capitalise on the lead Dissanayake and Perera made faulty services which opened the window for the Sinha pair to equalise 6-6 and put the finishing touch in the tie breaker to win 7-6 to clinch the championship.
Jagath Welikala, coach of the Wheel Chair tennis speaking to the Sunday Times said that he is highly satisfied of the speed these players picked up the game as none of them had played the game earlier. Upali Rajakaruna is ranked 77th in world rankings while Gamini Dissanayake is ranked 79.
Sri Lanka Army Wheel Chair team had taken part in the 2015 World Cup held in Turkey beating Italy and losing to Brazil in a close match. They won the championship in the Indonesian Open and Indian Open and finished runners-up in the Bangkok and Malaysian Opens. -LR