Peterites all island overall tennis champs

In the recently worked out all island inter school tennis championships conducted by the Sri Lanka Schools Tennis Association at the Sri Lanka Tennis Association courts the Peterite tennis players reigned supreme by capturing the championship trophies of the under 13, the under 15 and the under 19 age categories.

By virtue of this achievement Peterites for the third consecutive year and for the fourth time in five years clinched the most prestigious Overall Championship Trophy in the All Island Inter School Tennis Championships worked out for the calendar year 2009.

In their rally to glory the Peterite under 13 tennis team in the group matches beat Nalanda College 35 to nil, beat Isipatana College 35 to nil, beat D. S. Senanayake College 30 to 5 and beat S. Thomas' College Mount Lavinia 30 to 5. In the semi finals they created a major upset by beating a much fancied very strong Colombo International School side 3 to nil. Peterites turned tables upside down when one of their potential players beat a CIS player ranked Sri Lanka No. 2 in the first single in straight sets. In the finals Peterites beat convincingly Royal College 3 to nil.

Peterites confidently registered victories in all three singles. 1st single 6/0, 6/0, 2nd single 6/0, 6/0, 3rd single 6/0, 6/1. Peterites authoritatively walked away with the under 13 all island inter school tennis championship trophy.

The Peterite under 15 tennis team in their march to clinch the under 15 all island inter school tennis championship trophy were unconquerable. Their track record bear testimony for this fact. In the group matches they beat S. Thomas' College Mount Lavinia 35 to nil, beat Maliyadeva College 35 to nil, beat Isipatana College 35 to nil, beat St. Benedict's College 35 to nil, beat St. Michael's College Batticaloa 35 to nil, beat Karandeniya Central College 35 to nil, and beat St. Joseph's College 35 to nil. The Peterite under 15 tennis team in the semi finals effortlessly beat Royal College 3 to nil. The extremely strong Peterite side comprehensively beat Ananda College 3 to nil in the finals and coveted the under 15 all island inter school tennis championship trophy. In this age group Peterites left an indelible track record by not loosing a match on court during the whole tournament.

Peterite under 19 tennis team created history when they clinched the under 19 all inter school tennis championship trophy. In the group stage they beat Nalanda College 35 to nil, beat St. Benedict's College 35 to nil, beat Trinity College 35 to nil, beat St. Sebastian's College 35 to nil, and beat S. Thomas' College Mount Lavinia 35 to nil. Peterites created another major upset when they beat the much favoured Ananda College team in the semi finals 3 to nil. In the finals it was a huge, huge upset when the Peterites beat the unbeatable Royal College 3 to 2 to clinch the under 19 all island inter school tennis championship trophy.

This particular under 19 Peterite tennis team has played together for 10 years from under ten onwards since 2001 and won all island inter school tennis championships for 9 years. Eight of this consecutively in the last 8 years. This definitely is a mammoth, momentous and a unparalleled achievement. Further this is the third consecutive year that Peterites have won the under 10 all island inter school tennis championship.

Peterite tennis players by virtue of winning the under 13, under 15 and under 19 all island inter school tennis championships have coveted the much prestigious overall tennis championship trophy for the third consecutive year and for the fourth time in five years.

The Peterites are coached by K. D. Y. Pathiraja, who has been with St. Peter's College for more than a decade and is chiefly responsible for the Peterite success story.