Nine million tennis lass

For a 14 - year - old schoolgirl to receive a Rs. 9 million scholarship spanning a period of six years is an extraordinary achievement. The scholarship involves free education and for the sport of the young girl who has been playing since she was five years old.

The lucky recipient is Yasodara Karunaratne a student of Colombo International School (CIS) who has been offered this by one of the leading and best British Schools in Hong Kong plus two other sponsors for her clothes and tennis equipment. Her recommendation for the above was by Lionel Almeida the CEO of Sri Lanka Tennis Association (SLTA) and the school principal D.C. Sanders for her achievements in the field of tennis and more recently for gaining the highest ranking points by a Sri Lankan player at the ATF tournament which was concluded recently.

Yasodara was the only local player to have advanced to the two back to back single semi finals in which she became runner up in one. She also reached the doubles final in this tournament.

Looking back at her career it has been sheer dedication and determination that has been her success right through the years. Having pocketed over 40 titles at junior level including national titles at local and international tournaments, she represented the Sri Lanka team at junior world tournaments and she is now aiming to reach greater heights by trying to participate in many ATF tournaments around the globe.

To fulfil her wishes Yasodara underwent 40 days of intensive training in Thailand in December last year under the personal supervision of Suang Chantra-Urai a Level III international coach. After her return she is training under Sylvester Francis and for sometime under Mrs. Shalini Perera who deputized for the former when he was away in Australia.

Yasodara speaking to The Sunday Times before embarking to Hong Kong to finalize her deal said “I train five days a week for two to three hours in the evening”. Her individual training under Francis which is the best way that any player could improve has been fruitful. “My approach to the game whether it’s attacking or footwork has improved tremendously”. She says doing regular individual training is very expensive but this is the most effective way to improve. “It was my parents’ decision which now has taken me a long way”.

“By playing in only local tournaments a player cannot reach a good ranking in the ATF circuit. The only way is by participating in international tournaments, the locals have the option of only participating in two ATF tournaments in Sri Lanka which is insufficient. My current ATF rank is 12 due to this I will be travelling to countries like India, Jordan, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Philippines, South Korea and Bahrain to improve my rankings.

“Besides the ATF and ITF tournaments I will be participating in two regional tournaments in Russia due to be held in 2008 and I will be partnering one of the top Russian women player Nicole Svetlana’s who is double my age”. “It’s going to be some kind of experience for me as Svetlana is also a qualified coach in Russia”.

So in the near future she will take wing to Hong Kong and her stay is made easy as her mother who has taken up an assignment based in that country. She will be training under Benny Lin one of the 20 Level III coaches in the world who was also the national coach of Hong Kong and a friend of Thailand’s Suang Chantra-Uai. He will be assisted by another good Swiss coach in Raifal Moura. Lin is supposed to be training only players with potential so Yasodara is lucky to be one of his pupils.

Accompanying Yasodara will be her sister who is just five years and said to be another tennis player in the making who will also undergo training.

The young lass Yasodara added “First, I must say it has been my parents -- Lloyd and Gothami who have been the tower of strength right along my career. My first coach Kingsley Candappa, Arul Arulanathan former Sri Lanka national coach, SLTA president Suresh Subramaniam and the list goes on”.

A happy father Lloyd speaking said “I and my wife never expected her to perform so well but it was her dedication and willingness that has brought her to this level”.

Nevertheless it is going to be an experience of some sort for this talented and gifted young girl a future national prospect who has cut her path to glory and set herself to achieve greater heights to bring honour to her motherland in time to come.