The Dineshkanthan annual Tennis Championship began on the 23rd of September for the 3rd consecutive year at the S. Thomas’ College Tennis courts. The tournament showcased players in both the singles and doubles categories below the age of 16 years.
Sanudaya Bandara won the U10 boys’ singles title winning all his matches against Virul Amarapala (7-1), Thisanda Bellanaarachchi (7-3), Nejan Karunatissa (7-1), Sanduru Guruge (7-1), Lisal Goonetilleke (7-4). The runner up in this age category was Sanduru Guruge.
Wenuka Kithnula won the U12 boys’ singles title winning against Hesara Kuruppu (6-0, 6-0), Dulina Kumarasinghe (6-0,6-1), Hasal Ahangama (6-0,6-1), Zaidh Zihar (6-1,6-0) and received a walkover from Anujaya Abeywickrama. The runner up in this age category was Zaidh Zihar.
Isuru Peiris was the winner of the U14 boys’ singles title having lost only one match to Luca Emanuel in a very long tie breaker game but he triumphed over Sathika Silva (6-3,6-1), Inuka Algama (6-0,6-1, Janith Wickramanayake (6-2,7-5), Rakesh Ratnasingham (7-5,6-2). Luca Emanuel was the runner up of this age category.
Luca Emanuel was the winner of the U16 boys’ singles tittle having faced Pasindu Bandara(6-0,6-1), Tehan Wijemanne(7-6,7-5) and Isuru Peiris in the finals (7-6,6-2) leaving Isuru as the runner up of this age category.
The U12 boys’ doubles title was a different story as Wenuka Kithnula and Anuth Wijesinghe won the title receiving a walk over from Ushira Chadrasoma and Himath Hettihewa and thereafter beating the team of Sanduru Gamage and Methvan Wijjemanne (7-1) and M.A.M Abdullah and Ramith Herath (7-3) in the finals.
The U16 boys’ doubles title was an easy win for Praneel Jayasinghe and Sean Sanderson as they first beat Meth Hettihewa and Bilal Sabry (9-3) and then Chetan Perera and Tarik Perera (9-1) to face Ismmail Azeez and Thehan Naotunne (9-6) in the finals.
Coming to the girls’ matches, the first was the U10 girls’ singles title which was won by Shenaya Thissera. She faced and won against Jayami Sathnadi (7-1), Samritha Jegan (7-1), Judith Samuel (7-3), Melasha Randhini (7-1) and Ruvi Lewbendara (7-3). The runner up of this category was Ruvi Lewkebandara.
The girls’ U12 singles title was won by Tania Doloswala having won all her matches. She faced Vishmi Serasinghe (4-6,6-3,10-7), Nelini Jayasuriya (6-0,6-0), Nishika Piyadigama (6-0,6-0), Preethika Chandramohan (6-2,6-3) and triumphed over Tharani Alexander (6-1,6-0) in the finals of this category.
Oneli Perera was the winner of the girls’ U14 title having beaten Ashanthi Seneviratne (6-0,6-0), Kaveesha Theverapperuma as she retired in the second set (6-1,1-0) and also beat Vonara De Alwis (6-3,6-2) and Senuri Alexander was the other finalist in this category whom Oneli beat with ease with scores of (6-2,6-1).
The girls U12 doubles was won by 2 completely new players Dinethya Dharmaratne and Akithma Dias. This duo went on to beat Dahamna Methsandi and Pasadni Weerasekera (7-0) in their first match and Heshani Imanga and Dewmini Warnasuriya (7-5) in a very close second match and finally Nishika Piyadigama and Sithmi Thecarapperuma (7-5) in the finals, which also wasn’t an easy win for Dinethya and Akithma.
The final 2 categories of the U16 girls singles and doubles will be played on the 9th of October. Head on to the S. Thomas’ College tennis court to catch the action.
