Dilenthi and Naveed overall champions
S.M. Jiffrey ABDEEN - Kandy Sports Correspondent
Seventeen year old Dilenthi Dissanayake of Mahamaya Girls College (Womens)
and twelve year old Mohammed Naveed of Matale District Tenis Club (Men)
and Zahira College Matale were adjudged overall champions at the
Independence Tennis Meet of Kandy Garden Club which was worked off at
the Club's tennis courts in Kandy.
This tennis meet produced tenis of very high standard perhaps the
only club to conduct tennis meets in the hill capital for schoolchildren
and adults, as otherwise this sport may not have survived for too long.
In the past there were tennis courts at the Kandy Tennis Club close
to the Bogambara Prisons where the present Public Library was built.
Then there were tenis courts along the Peradeniya Road adjacent to
the Katukele Municipal Library. But all these have now become defunct.
Kandy Garden Club was founded in 1878 - the second oldest Club in
existence in Kandy. The oldest being Kandy Club founded in 1877 along
Malabar Street at Boowlikada Junction. In 1878, 132 years ago there
would have been hardly any local playing the game of tennis. Probably it
is the expatriate British Planters who would have been responsible for
the construction of the tennis courts and introducing the sport which
owes its existence in Kandy to this Club. The club still maintains its
old charm and the antique furniture of the old vintage.
Mohammed Naveed of Matale District Tennis Club was no doubt the star
of the meet among the competition for men.
As a youngster he practices very hard at the tennis courts of Matale
where this sport is popular. Naveed won as many as five titles in this
highly competitive meet.
He first won the boys under 13 title defeating M. Aalam. His second
win was in the boys under 13 doubles, partnered by M. Aalam, they
defeated M. Geevinda and T. Gajanaya. Naveed next wrupped up the boys
under 15 singles title by upsetting the talented Dilantha Dissanayake.
Naveed continued his success trail partnered by Dilantha Dissanayake
whom he vanquished earlier to win the boys under 15 Doubles title and
this pair defeated Naveen Nanayakkara and Asam Niyaz.
Naveed's thirst for titles continued when he put up a fine display to
win the boys under 17 singles title after ousting Inam Niyaz in the
finals.
Naveed's brilliant performance resulted in him being adjudged the
Overall Mens Champion - a title which he richly deserved.
Seventeen year old Dilenthi Dissanayake one of the most promising
tennis players in the will capital put up an outstanding performance to
win four titles. Coming from family reputed for their prowess at tennis
in the hill capital is a regular player at the Kandy Gafden Club. Her
father Dr. Anura Dissanayake is a reputed tennis and so is her mother
Mala and younger brother Dilantha.
Dilenthi Dissanayake had to wait till the progress of the girls under
19 singles event to win her first title when she beat K. Krishnamenon in
the finals. This was the beginning.
Climbing a little higher up the latter, she repeated her earlier
success to once again defeat K. Krishnamenon in the Women's Singles
finals.
Then she paired off with her mother Mala to put up a tremendous
perform ance to defeat Gayathri Ekanayake and Achini Adhikari to pocket
the prestigious women's singles title.
Her fourth title came in the Mixed Doubles partnered by her younger
brother Dilantha and they beat their mamma Mala and S. Sundharshan to
win this title too.
Dilenthi Dissanayake who remained unbeaten in this championship was
crowned Overall Women's Champion.
The youngest of the Dissanayake's Dilantha though losing to Naveed in
the boys under 15 finals, recovered magnificently to win the boys under
15 doubles partnered by Naveed, next the boys under 17 doubles partnered
by Inaam Niyas. He also won the boys under 19 doubles partnered by M.
Hanan and the Mixed doubles partnered by her elder sister Dilanthi.
Hirani Weerasekera of Hillwood Girls College too gave a sparkling
display to win three titles - the under 13 singles title, under 13
doubles title partnered by Nimaya Ganhewa and the under 13 singles
title.
The Result:
Boys Under 11 Singles: Champion - Jhonathan Thomas.
Girls Under 11 Singles: Champion - Rashmi Niyangoda.
Boys Under 11 Doubles: Champions - J. Vidura and N. Akbo.
Girls Under 11 Doubles: Champions - K. Supunsala and Rashmi Niyangoda.
Boys Under 13 Singles: Champion - M. Naveed.
Girls Under 13 Singles: Champion - Hiruni Weerasekera.
Boys Under 13 Doubles: Champions - M. Naveed and M. Aalam.
Girls Under 13 Doubles: Champions - Hiruni Weerasekera and Nimaya
Ganhewa.
Boys Under 15 Singles: Champion M. Naveed.
Girls Under 15 Singles: Champion - Hiruni Weerasekera.
Boys Under 15 Doubles: Champions Dilantha Dissanayake and M. Naveed.
Girls Under 15 Doubles: Champions - S. Samaratnam and L. Selvaraj.
Boys Under 17 Singles: Champion - M. Naveed.
Girls Under 17 Singles: Champion - K. Krishnamenan.
Boys Under 17 Doubles: Champions - Dilantha Dissanayake and Inaam
Niyaz.
Girls Under 17 Doubles: Champions - A. Nagendran and P. Sivashankaran.
Boys Under 19 Singles: Champion - Eranjith Nugawela.
Girls Under 19 Singles: Champion - Dilenthi Dissanayake.
Boys Under 19 Doubles: Champions - Dilantha Dissanayake, and M. Hanan.
Men's Singles: Champion - Eric Samarasinghe.
Women's Singles: Champion - Dilenthi Dissanayake.
Men's Doubles: Champion Eric Samarasinghe and Harsha de Silva.
Women's Doubles: Champions - Mala Dissanayake and Dilenthi
Dissanayake.
Veterans Singles: Champion - Tissa Ratnayake.
Veterans Doubles: Champions - M.N. Fahim and M.C.M. Anzar.
Mixed Doubles: Champions - Dilenthi Dissanayake and Dilantha
Dissanayake.
Overall Women's Champion: Dilenthi Dissanayake. (Mahamaya Girls
College, Kandy).
Overall Men's Champion: M. Naveed (Matale District Tenis Club).
Tissa Ratnayake was the Tournament Director of this Tennis
Championship.
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