Peterites - schools tennis champs

TENNIS: In the All Island Inter- School Tennis Tournament worked out for the year 2007 Peterite Tennis players clinched the Inter-School Overall Championship Trophy for the second time in three years. The first occasion was in 2005.

The Peterites created several major upsets in the five age groups on their way to win the Overall Tennis Championship Trophy.

The Under 11 tennis team captained by Davishka Ranasinghe became the Runner Up in their age group. The under 13 Tennis Team led by Aaron Assauw came up from behind to be in the finals and were Runners Up. The Under 15 Team under Amantha Weerasinghe was placed third.

The present Under 17 team for the last five consecutive years progressed through from the time they were in Under 13 in 2003. They have always emerged as Champions in their specific age groups. For five years in a row they have been an unbeaten side.

This year the same team which played for the Under 17 age group captained by Kevin Markandarajah fought a close encounter in the finals with Ananda College to take the Under 17 championship.

The Under 19 led by college captain Emmash Sudusinghe, at the time of writing is in the finals which is to be played shortly. Even though the Under 19 finals hasn't been played as yet, by virtue of the points earned from all age groups St. Peter's College has won the Overall Inter-School Tennis Championship Trophy for the year 2007.

The continued support by the Rector of St. Peter's College, Rev. Fr. Travis Gabriel and the Sports Coordinator Rev. Fr. Sunil Ranjith Perera is a great source of motivation to the youngsters.

The disciplined, all year round tennis programme under the Head coach, Dinith Pathiraja ably assisted by Thizant and Zaw Zaw Latt of Myanmar, is the underlying foundation on which success was built. Dinith Pathiraja has been with St. Peter's since tennis re-started in the year 1998.

Several Peterites have represented Sri Lanka in junior age groups and found places in the Sri Lankan Davis Cup squad.

The shining star of Peterite tennis is T. Dineshkanthan who is placed at 600 in the ITF under 18 world ranking.

In the junior national rankings, Chehan Fernando tops under 10, while Sanjeev Mohan Kumar, Aritha Weerasinghe and Aaron Assauw are ranked 3, 4 and 6 respectively in Under 12. S. Vernujan is ranked 4th in Under 14. Stephan Martin represented Sri Lanka in the Under 14 age group in 2007 while Tharaka Sandaruwan also represented Sri Lanka in the Under 14 age group in 2006.

These Peterites coached by Dinith Pathiraja has also created a unique record by virtue of the fact that at least one member of the three member Sri Lanka under 14 team has been a Peterite for the last five consecutive years.