Savini makes it to the Asian Games finally
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Savini Jayasuriya, ranked second, is one of the promising players
Teenage women’s tennis player Savini Jayasuriya this week left to Indonesia to join the rest of the squad competing at the Asian Games but her participation at the game still hangs in the balance.
Her father Shermal Jayasuriya told the Sunday Times that Sports Minister Faiszer Musthapha intervened to implement a court order which demanded Savini’s participation at the Games.
Last week, the Court of Appeal (CA) ordered sports authorities to include a 15-year-old tennis player in a doubles event for the upcoming Asian Games after her parents took legal action to overturn her exclusion from the tournament.
Savini Jayasuriya, the country’s number two-ranked tennis player, was directed by the CA to be named for either a women’s or mixed doubles event. While she had initially been included by tennis selectors for participation in the multidisciplinary sporting tournament in Indonesia, the decision was reversed, prompting her parents to petition the CA.
In view of the court order, the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka (NOCSL) has requested the organisers to accept Savini as a late entry. However the Asian Games Organisers have rejected request. The Games begin on August 18.
“We are not sure whether, Savini would be allowed to compete but we decided to give it a try,” her father- Shermal Fernando said.
Savini’s parents went to court after their daughter didn’t make it to the final squad despite an earlier recommendation by selectors that she and Anjalika Kurera be sent as two singles players, and Anika Seneviratne for doubles.
Meanwhile responding to our last week article titled “Women’s tennis conundrum hurt Asian Games process” Daphne Manamperi, the mother of Janali Manamperi said her daughter is the number one ranked tennis player at present contrary to the chairman of selectors Arjun Fernando had uttered.
According to the Tennis ranking, Janali leads the women’s ranking as well as the U-18 rankings.