Sri Lanka Tennis Nationals:

Rajakaruna wheelchair tennis champ

Richard DWIGHT

The Sri Lanka Tennis Association has done well to lift the morale of the physically disabled, through the promotion and fostering of tennis amongst them. A good many of them have taken a fondness for the sport, as was seen in the Sri Lanka Tennis Nationals that is now in progress to conclude on Sunday September 13 at the SLTA courts.

Four wheelchair players, Upali Rajakaruna, Padmasiri, Sunil Perera and Gamini Dissanayake did well to enter the semi-finals. The reputed Rajakaruna had to work hard to beat Padmasiri, whilst Dissanayake got the better of Sunil Perera in a closely contested match. In the finals, Rajakaruna a well established wheelchair tennis player, easily beat Dissanayake to be singles champ.

Rajakaruna also excelled in the wheelchair tennis doubles, when partnering Mahanama Basnayake, the duo beat the combination of Gamini Dissanayake and Sunil Perera in the finals.

There was also a few open mixed doubles matches worked off yesterday.

Results:

Men’s wheelchair tennis singles: Semi finals - U. Rajakaruna beat Padmasiri 6/4, 6/4. G. Dissanayake beat S. Perera 6/4, 6/4. Finals - U. Rajakaruna beat G. Dissanayake 6/1, 6/0.

Men’s wheelchair tennis doubles: Finals - M. Basnayake and U. Rajakaruna beat G. Dissanayake and S. Perera 6/4, 6/1.

Open Mixed Doubles: Amritha Muttiah and R. Rajapakse beat Daniya Madugalle and A. Jayawickreme 6/2, 6/3. Roshink Fernando and S. Atukorale beat Vinuri Wickremaratne and A. Dep 6/1, 6/2.