Avindra Perera of STC claims Under-18 Boys’ title
Seneviratne sisters -- Alana (L) and Anika (R) won the Girls' Under-16 Doubles title
Avindra Perera, a student of S. Thomas’ College Mt. Lavinia claimed the National Under-18 Boys’ Singles Tennis Championship, for the third consecutive year, while top seed Anika Seneviratne claimed five titles at the 102nd Sri Lanka Tennis Nationals which is being played at the Sri Lanka Tennis Association (SLTA) Courts in Colombo.
Avindra defeated Vibuda Wijebandara in straight sets 6/3, 6/2 in the Boy’s Under-18 Singles final to defend the title he won in 2015 for the first time and retained it last year. In the semi-finals Avindra beat Kavisha Ratnayake by 6/3, 6/2 while Vibuda beat Vikum Jayasuriya 7/5, 6/1 to reach the final. In the quarter-finals top seed Avindra beat eighth ranked Nuwantha Dissanayake 6/1, 6/1 as Vibuda had to fight all the way in a three-setter before overcoming Inthujan Selvaratnarajah by 4/6, 6/3, 7/5. In the two remaining quarter-finals Kavisha beat Nadil Silva 5/7, 6/2, 6/4 while Vikum beat Ravindu Weerasinghe 6/9, 6/4 in straight sets.
Meanwhile in the finals of other age categories of the National Championship which was played throughout the week, top seed players in the Under-12 and Under-14 in boys and girls claimed the championships with ease.
In the Boy’s Under-12 Singles final Wenuka Kithnula coasted to an easy win over Vichithya Nilaweera by 6/0, 6/1 while Heshani Imanga coasted to an overwhelming win against Dinethya Dharmaratne to take the Girl’s Under-12 Singles title. The scores were 6/0, 6/0.
In the Boy’s Under-14 Singles final top seed Chathurya Nilaweera was given a tough time before he managed to get the better of Prasanjith Kannangara by 7/6, 2/6, 6/2 to clinch the title. Anjalika Perera emerged the winner of the Girl’s Under-14 Singles final defeating Oneli Perera 6/1, 6/2.
Top seeded Anika Seneviratne lived up to her expectations as she clinched the Girls’ Under-16 Singles title with a comfortable two sets to nil against Anjalika Kurera by 6/4, 6/4. Anika continued her winning spree by partnering by her sister Alana to clinch the Girls Under-16 Doubles title defeating the second seed pair of Anjalika Kurera and Sathi Silva in straight sets later on by 6/3, 6/1. Anika who had a successful run at the championships in the process bagged five titles, two in the senior tennis nationals and three in the junior tennis nationals.
Earlier on in the competition Anika bagged three titles — the Women’s Open Doubles partnered by Jithmie Jayawickrama, the Mixed Doubles partnered by Thangaraja Dineshkanthan and the Girls’ Under-18 Singles title against Anya Gunawardena. - NA; Pix PW
Venula in action
Prasanjith Kannagara in action
Avindra Perera won the Boys' Singles title
Anika Seneviratne won five titles