Sri Lankan paddlers only managed to clinch one win as their ride in the team event of the 21st Commonwealth Games ended in despair. The single win for Sri Lanka came in the men`s category against St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Women`s Matches
Sri Lanka women`s team took on India in the maiden matchup, which ended as a brutal loss for the local lasses. It was a clean-sweep for India, 3-0.
The first match of the tally was between Erandi Warusawithana and Manika Batra. Batra defeated Warusawithana in straight sets 11/3, 11/5, 11/3.
Ishara Badu played Suritha Mukherjee in the second match which was wrapped up in the same style. Mukherjee took Ishara out, 11/5, 11/8, 11/4.
With India leading the tally 2-0, the third match was a must win for Sri Lanka and with mounting, Hansani Kapugeekiyana and Ishara Badu teamed up for the women` doubles. India kept the winning momentum as Pooja Sahasrabudhe and Sutirtha Mukherjee defeated Sri Lanka, 11/6, 11/7, 11/3, wrapping up the tie in India’s favour.
The second matchup for Sri Lankan was against Wales. Even though Sri Lanka did manage to win one match in the tie, the Welsh walked away triumphantly with a tally of 3-1.
Erandi Warasuwithana’s game against Charlotte Carey ended in a tragedy as she was beaten in straight sets 11/4, 11/6, 11/7.
The only win in the tie for Sri Lanka was bagged by Ishara Badu who went on to defeat 11-year-old Anna Hursey. The first two sets were won by Ishara, 11/9, 11/7. Anna stepped back into the game-clinching victory in the third and the fourth sets, 11/7, 12/10 and after a nail-biting final set, which ended 11/7, Ishara clinched the game.
Hansani Kapugeekiyana and Ishara Badu went down 11/8, 11/9, 11/6 in the Women’s doubles as Wales got back into the game, leading the tie 2-1.
The must-win match for Sri Lanka to stay alive in the tie ended badly as Hansani Kapugeekiayana lost in straight sets, 11/4, 11/5, 11/8 as Wales wrapped up the tie 3-1.
Men`s Matches
Sri Lanka men`s team took on Canada in their first encounter, losing 3-1.
Rohan Sirisena played the first single against Zhen Wang. Sirisena suffered a loss in straight sets, 11/5, 11/7, 11/1.
The second single of the tie was set to be played between Imesha Ranasinghe and Marko Medjugorac. Ranasinghe won the first set 11/7. Marko, getting back into rhythm set the winning tone clinching the second set, 11/7. The third and fourth witnessed no difference ending in favor of Canadian, 11/8, 11/3 respectively.
The only win of the encounter for Sri Lanka came as Buwaneka Jayasinghe and Rohan Sirisena beat the Canadian pair 3-1. The first two sets ended in favor of Sri Lanka, 11/9, 11/5 but Canada won the third set 11/5. The Lankan pair then sealed the fourth set 12/10.
Jayasinghe was defeated by Zhen Wang 11/3, 11/7, 11/1 in the must-win 4th match.
Sri Lanka`s only win in the table tennis arena came through as the local lads went on to beat St. Vincent and the Grenadines convincingly, 3-0.
Rohan Sirisena played Romano Spencer in the first single and drowned the opponent in straight sets, 11/3, 11/6, 11/6. Imesh Ranasinghe took on Carlton Daniel in the second single which concluded in the same fashion, putting Sri Lanka ahead in the tie, 2-0. Ranasinghe beat Daniel comfortably 11/2, 11/7, 11/5.
With Sri Lanka leading the tally 2-0, Buwaneka Jayasinghe and Imesh Ranasinghe walked into the doubles with no pressure. Andre Mitchell and Romano Spencer were desperate for a win to keep their hopes alive in the tie but failed to register a win. Jayasinghe and Ranasinghe won with ease, 11/1, 11/8, 11/4.
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