Thehan, Anjalika dominate at local championships
Since restrictions imposed due to COVID-19 pandemic were eased, the Sri Lanka Tennis Association (SLTA) has been busy from early November with two major tournaments conducted — the 106th Colombo Open Championship and the 106th National Championship, which is still in progress at the SLTA Courts in Greenpath, Colombo.
Anjalika Kurera
But the tournament has not been easy for the participants in both the senior and junior categories, as they had to face the championships under tremendous pressure, competing in two tournaments in succession. However the spirit of the players have not deterred them even though they have to participate in double quick time and of course some of the top players at both the levels underwent injuries and come what may as mentioned, have faced consequences and played with dedication and determination.
Looking back at the performances of some players, the names that easily outshine from the rest are two players in the senior category — Thehan Wijemanne and Anjalika Kurera. Both Wijemanne and Kurera has had a successful stint so far.
Wijemanne, in the first tournament, the Colombo Open, succeeded to bag four titles. He won the Under-18 Boys Singles, Men’s Open Singles, Men’s Doubles and the Mixed Doubles events. But he has been unable to make any impression at the ongoing Nationals so far.
Kurera, on the other hand, is going from great guns. She bagged three titles at the Colombo Open, winning the Girls Under-18, Women’s Open and the Mixed Doubles and so far at the Nationals, she has clinched the Girls Under-18 Singles and the Women’s Open Singles. She is in line to bag her third title having qualified for the Mixed Doubles final with Wijemanne.
Thehan Wijemanne
Others to impress so far is Yasitha de Silva, who won the National Singles title for the second successive year and partnered by Dinehskanthan Thangarajah, he also bagged the Men’s Doubles title. Chathurya Nilaweera also partnering with Wijemanne, won the Men’s Doubles both at the Colombo Open and Nationals.
Savini Jayasuriya and Janali Manamperi bagged the Women’s Open Doubles titles at both the Colombo Open and Nationals.
In the junior category, Dinara de Silva repeated her victory at Colombo Open, where she won the Under-12 Girls Singles title, with a similar win at the Nationals. Githmi Fernando won the Under-14 Girls Singles. Saajida Razick, who won the Under-16 Girls Singles title at the Colombo Open, will be aiming for a repeat the same feat at the Nationals, as she has qualified to the final of the same age category.
Others who successfully clinched at least a title are Githmi Fernando (Under-12 Girls Singles), Methika Wickramasinghe (Under-14 Boys Singles), Lisal Goonetileke (Under-14 Boys Singles) and Kiran Vairavanathan (Under-18 Boys Singles) at the ongoing Nationals.