Rajakaruna wins Wheel Chair Open Singles

Richard DWIGHT

The Men’s Singles event in the 93rd Sri Lanka Tennis Nationals, has progressed from the quarter final stage to the semi-finals, at the SLTA court.

The four players who have come out on top are Harshana Godamanne, Rajeev Rajapakse, Amrith Rupasinghe and Dinuka Ranaweera. Godamanne a national champ and a dominant force on the Sri Lanka courts, won his three preliminary matches with ease, without raising a sweat.

The reputed Rajeev Rajapakse, won his first two matches comfortably, but had a stiff duel against, Sanka Athukorala, to win in a closely fought match.

Amrith Rupasinghe too had things going his way, to win the first two matches without difficulty, but in the 3rd match, he was up against a player with much potential in Guyanga Weerasekera and won in a hard fought evenly contested game.

The last semi-finalist Dinuka Ranaweera, was given a W/o by T. Bahith and won the other two matches easily.

In the wheel chair category, Upali Rajakaruna beat D.M. Gamini to win the Wheel Chair Open Singles - and in the wheel Chair Doubles D.M. Gamini and K.M.S.P. Perera beat Jayalath Manatunga and T.D. Sarath in the finals.

Results

Men’s Singles: Harshana Godamanne bt. Rukumal Cooray 6/0, 6/0 - bt. RY Devage 6/0, 6/0 - bt. D. Wijesuriya 6/0, 6/1.

Rajeev Rajapakse bt. E. Jayamanne 6/1, 6/0 - bt. Zaw Zaw Lati 6/3, 6/0 bt. S. Athukorala 7/6, 6/3.

Amrith Rupesinghe bt. H. Hussein 6/0, 6/1 - bt. A. De Silva 6/0, 6/0 bt. G. Weerasekera 6/4, 7/6.

Dinuka Ranaweera bt. M. Wijesuriya 6/2, 6/0 - bt. A. Jajayawickrema 6/2, 6/4 and W/0 T. Bahitharan.

Wheel chair open singles

Upali Rajakaruna bt. Jayalath Manatunga 6/1, 6/0, DM Gamini bt. K.M.S.P. Perera 6/3, 6/3, Upali Rajakruna bt. D.M. Gamini 6/4, 6/0.

Wheel chair doubles

D.M. Gamini K.M.S.P. Perera bt. S. Kumara and A. Kumara 6/1, 6/1.

J. Manathunga I.D. Sarath bt. Alagoda and Jayar 6/0 and conceded match.

D.M. Gamini K.M.S.P. Perera bt. J. Manatunga, and T.D. Sarath 6/4, 6/2.