Carrom: Top heads go rolling at 28th Federation Cup

The 28th Federation Carrom Tournament got off to a flying start at the Carrom Federation Headquarters last weekend when ranked players Nishantha Fernando and Lahiru Eshan were beaten in the third round of the Men’s Doubles by the Lalith Kumara and Nuwan Indika combination.   In the semi-finals Chamil Cooray and Brindly Wickremasinghe were knocked out by youngsters Anas Ahmed and Mohamed Shaheed while Mohamed Sheriffdeen and Charith Madusanka of the Sri Lanka Army were trounced by Udesha Chandima and Hasitha Anuradha of the Sri Lanka Air Force.   Upali Premachandra beat Lalith Kumara to clinch the Veteran’s Singles championship.   The Women’s Doubles segment was played up to the semi-final stage where Joseph Roshita and Chalani Lakmali qualified to final and they will take on the combination of Maduka Dilshani and Sashika Sandamali.   The Women’s Singles completed the pre-quarter-final stage with favourites reaching the quarter-final stage. The tournament will proceed with the Women’s Doubles finals on July 4 and the Women’s Singles quarter-finals and semi-finals on July 5.   Results:   Men’s Doubles Quarter-finals: (1) Chamil Cooray/Brindly Wickremasinghe beat Chanaka Jeevan/S.A.S. Senadhi 25/3, 25/17; (2) Anas Ahamed/Mohamed Shaheed beat Sasrika Muthunayake/Suraj Maduwantha 25/0, 25/10; (3) Dimal Senaratne/Lahiru Perera beat Shanaka Maduranga/Nuwan Chaturanga 25/19, 25/13; (4) Udesh Chandima/Hasitha Anuruddha beat M. Sheriffdeen/Charith Madusanka 25/01, 2/25, 25/24. Semi-finals: (1) Anas Ahamed/M. Shaheed beat Chamil Cooray/Brindly Wickremasinghe 22/25, 25/0, 25/6; Dimal Senaratne/Lahiru Perera beat Udesh Chandima/Hasitha Anuruddha 25/22, 25/24. Finals: Anas Ahamed/M. Shaheed beat Dimal Senaratne/Lahiru Perera 25/0, 25/2.   Women’s Doubles Quarter-finals: (1) Joseph Roshita/Chalani Lakmali beat Shehara Jayatilleke/C. Premaratne 25/6; (2) Buddhini Dias/Minsadi Laknara beat Nimali Wijeratne/Umesha Dissanayake 25/6; (3) Maduka Dilshani/Sashika Sandamali beat Detuni Nomaya/Shalini Senadeera 25/5; (4) Sumalya Vidanagama beat M. Ziyad/Sashini Madumali 25/0. Semi-finals: (1) Joseph Roshita/Chalani Lakmali beat Buddhini Dias/Minsadi Laknara 25/4: (2) Maduka Dilshani/Sashika Sandamali beat Sumalya/Kusalya Vidanagama 25/17.   Veteran’s Singles Semi-finals: Upali Premachandra beat. Merryl Nanayakkara 16/0; (2) Lalith Kumara beat Devika Edirisuriya 5/0. Final: Upali Premachandra beat Lalith Kumara 23/25, 25/13, 25/21.   Women’s Singles Pre-quarter-finals: (1) Joseph Roshita beat Madusha Vithana 25/3, 18/15; (2) Detuni Nomaya beat Kalyani Amarasinghe 23/20, 21/8; (3) Yasika Rahubaddha beat M. Ziyad 25/0, 25/0; (4) Maduwanthi Gunadasa beat Shalini Senadeera 25/6, 9/25, 25/24; (5) Arosha Wickremasinghe beat Minsadi Laknara 25/5, 18/12; (6) Kaushalya Vidanagama beat Devika Edirisuriya 25/7, 25/6; (7) Buddhini Dias beat Yuwani Waidyatilleke 25/0, 25/4; (8) Chalani Lakmali beat Sumalya Vidanagama 25/10, 25/0.