After a resilient comeback by Peterite Inthujan Selvaratnarajah, St. Peter’s College Colombo crumbled in the 2nd Doubles to the Ananda pair Kithmin De Silva and Sanuda Amasith to create history and win the Under 17 Tennis title for the year 2016 while Ladies’ College got their double crown winning the under 17 girls’ category.
The under 17 Tennis Championship started off last Monday with a participation of over 12 schools. At the conclusion of four days of intense action, four schools from both the Boys’ and Girls’ categories gained their qualification for the semi-finals. From the Boys division it was Royal College, Ananda College, St. Peter’s College and S. Thomas’ College who got the four spots. Ladies College, Newstead College, Bishop’s College and Holy Family Convent Bambalapitiya made it to the semi-finals of the Girls’ draw.
The defending champions St. Peter’s College got themselves to yet another final while in the opposing end was Ananda College, who defeated S. Thomas’ College in the semi-finals. Newstead College Negombo got through to their first ever final encounter and was set to face Ladies College.
Photo Album – U17 Inter School Tennis Championship 2016 – Final Day
Ananda College were on a winning spree from the start of play with the team winning the 1st Single and the 1st Double with ease. With 2 games won, Ananda’s victory in the under 17 title depended on the 2nd single. Coming into a crucial game, Peterite Inthujan Selvaratnarajah kept the spirits high for his team coming up strong against Ananda’s Nuwantha Dissanayaka to win the game having lost the first set. The set points read 3-6, 6-0 & 6-4 in favour of Inthujan.
St. Peter’s run was however short lived as the 2nd Doubles pair for Ananda College Kithmin De Silva and Sanuda Amasith took them to victory against the St. Peter’s duo Kevin Assauw-Raveen Abeygoonawardena. The scores read 6-3 & 6-4.
Newstead College Negombo’s lone fighter Natasha Munaweera single-handedly led her team to a first final at the national level and came out strong in the 1st double that she played. Teaming up with Nidhi, Newstead won the match 6-4, 7-5 against the Ladies pair Sethara Ambawatte and Arani Cooray.
However, the team effort was not found in the Newstead team as Ladies won the 1st Single, 2nd Single and the 2nd Doubles to take home the title. It was Anika Seneviratne and Harithi Nandasena who took responsibility in taking the Ladies to a 6-3, 6-3 win in the 2nd Double against the Denuli Jayakody-Induwari De Silva pair of Newstead.
With the Under 17 title won by Ananda College, they account for two titles in the overall tally winning the under 13 championship last month and Ladies College also claimed their second title with the under 17 win. Securing the third place in the Boys’ category was Royal College and Bishop’s College took the third place honours in the Girls’.
Full results:
Girls Final:
1st Single – Priyasha Unamboowe (Ladies) defeated Shashini Jayakodi (Newstead) 6-3, 5-2 (retired)
1st Double – Natasha Munaweera & Nidhvi (Newstead) defeated Sethara Ambawatte and Arani Cooray (Ladies) 6-4, 7-5
2nd Single – Savannah Ranasinghe (Ladies) defeated Navodya Jayakody (Newstead) 6-1, 6-3
2nd Doubles – Anika Seneviratne & Harithi Nandasena (Ladies) defeated Deuli Jayakody & Induwari De Silva (Newstead) 6-3, 6-3
Boys Final:
1st Single – Vibuda Wijebandara (Ananda) defeated Mark Seneviratne (SPC) 6-1, 6-3
1st Doubles – Ravindu Palliyaguruge & Praneel Jayasinghe (Ananda) defeated Adheel Reeza & Naveen Abeygoonawardena (SPC) 6-1, 6-0
2nd Single – Inthujan Selvaratnarajah (SPC) defeated Nuwantha Dissanayaka (Ananda) 3-6, 6-0, 6-4
2nd Doubles – Kithmin De Silva & Sanuda Amasith (Ananda) defeated Kevin Assauw & Raveen Abeygoonawardena (SPC) 6-3 6-4
