Royal wins National School Games Tennis Championship

ROYAL College won the National School Games Tennis Championship for the 11th consecutive year with a magnificent display of tennis at the National Tennis Centre last weekend.

After the unexpected performance where they did not live up to expectations at the Public Schools Tennis Tournament last month, this win indicates that the Royalists are back on top of the schools tennis arena.

Being the top seeds the Royalists automatically advanced to the quarter final round, where they trounced St. Peter's College, this year's Public Schools Champions with a comprehensive 2-0 win. They went on to defeat Nalanda College in the semi-final round with another 2-1 win.

In the much anticipated final the Royalists closely watched by their coach Sylvester Francis put up a fine show against Ananada College, where Shashivaran Sabanathan and Udith Wickrasinghe won their matches 9/3, 9/3, respectively to bring the trophy back home.

The Royalists have learnt from their mistakes and that this win was possible because of the joint effort put in by the Senior Games Masters, Teachers in charge, Coaches, Old Boys Tennis Club and the players.

Royal College produced yet another Sri Lanka National Champion this year when Harshana Godamanne, currently a Senior Prefect at Royal College grabbed the National Title defeating Rajive Rajapakse in the finals who is also an old boy of Royal College.

Furthermore, he went on to win a triple crown at the National Championships winning the Men's Doubles and the Mixed Doubles events.

Udith Wickramasinghe and Shashivaran Sabanathan represented Sri Lanka at the Second Asian School Games in Jakarta, Indonesia last month, where they displayed their supremacy by winning the Bronze Medal in the team event.

Royal College tennis team comprised: Captain- Sasith Wickramasinghe, Udith Wickramasinghe, Shashivaran Sabanathan, Mayuresh Rajaratna, Kavinda Nagodawithane, Sameera Cooray, Chinthake Dissanayake Coach - sylvester Francis.