Chanithma bows out of school squash career with impressive record
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Chanithma Sinaly
Chanithma Sinaly of Sirimavo Bandaranaike Vidyalaya secured her second national title at the 44th National Squash Championship, which concluded last Sunday at the Air Force Squash Complex in Ratmalana.
With this victory, Sinaly reached the highest world ranking of her career, climbing to world No. 175, surpassing her previous best of No. 180. The 19-year-old, who won the Women’s Open title in 2022, had to settle for runner-up last year, losing a hard-fought match to Yeheni Kuruppu, the 2023 champion. This year, Sinaly redeemed herself, defeating defending champion Yeheni Kuruppu 3-1 in the final to claim the top prize.
Sinaly’s path to victory was impressive. She started her campaign with a dominant 3-0 win over Ranliya Wood in the opening match. In the semi-finals, she overcame Shenaya Siriwardene in straight sets, 3-0, to make it to the final.
In addition to her national success, Sinaly had an outstanding year in international competitions. Last year, she claimed third place in the Wellington Open PSA 3K Tournament in India and became a finalist in the Bendio Open PSA 3K Tournament. She reached the quarter-finals in the Sheperton Tournament and the pre-quarter finals in the Victoria 6K Open Tournament.
Sinaly was also a finalist in Sri Lanka’s Reliance Open PSA 3K and the Junior National Championship, which she won for the third consecutive year, marking her final year as a junior player. At the 3K PSA Air Force Open Squash Championship, she was the runner-up, losing to an Indian player. Furthermore, Sinaly represented Sri Lanka at the Asian Senior Team Championship held in Dalian, China.
The win at the National Squash Championship marks the end of Sinaly’s school and junior career as she now focuses on her future in the sport. After completing her Advanced Level exams at Sirimavo Bandaranaike Vidyalaya, she also participated in the London Advance Levels.