SL meet Malaysia in consolation final

Thailand Junior and Cadet Open - ITTF Premium Junior Circuit:

Anuradha ABEYSEKERA

The Sri Lankan under-15 'B' team paddlers who are participating in the Thailand Junior and Cadet Open - ITTF Premium Junior Circuit in Pattaya have qualified for the Consolation Draw final by beating Australia in the semi final played during the weekend (3/2).

They will battle against Malaysia in the Consolation final, who beat Sri Lankan 'A' team in the Consolation Draw second semi final (3/0).

Sri Lanka 'B' team's Dishanka Thennakoon won the first singles semi final against Australia's Zaki Zenaidee (11/4, 11/5,11/13, 11/06) but Chathura Gunasekara did not continued with the winning spree as he lost the second singles to Ivan Sulfaro in straight sets (02/11, 09/11,09/11).

Local doubles players Dishanka and Lithmina Mahanam came back strongly in a die-hard battle after loosing the first two sets (6/11,10/12) against Aussie duo Zaki Zenaidee and Ivan Sulfaro. Dishanka and Lithmina tuned up to an aggressive rhythm during the latter stage of the game and won the last three sets in a close contest (12/10,11/8,11/8).

Eventhough Dishanka lost his second singles game to Ivan Sulfaro (08/11,07/11,09/11), Chathura Gunasekara won the last singles against Zaki Zenaidee (11/08, 11/06,11/05) to seal the tie (3/2), bringing Sri Lanka into final.

The Sri Lanka 'A' team did not lived up to the expectations in the second Consolation Draw semi final tie against Malaysia as they lost the first two singles and the doubles match as well.

Results -

Sri Lanka 'B' Beat Australia in the Consolation Draw first semi finals tie

Dishanka Thennakoon beat Zaki Zenaidee -11/4, 11/5, 11/13, 11/06

Chathura Gunasekara lost to Ivan Sulfaro - 02/11, 09/11, 09/11

Dishanka Thennakoon and Lithmina Mahanama beat Zaki Zenaidee with Ivan Sulfaro - 6/11, 10/12, 12/10, 11/08, 11/08 (Doubles)

Dishanka Thennakoon lost to Ivan Sulfaro - 08/11, 07/11, 09/11

Chathura Gunasekara beat Zaki Zenaidee -11/08, 11/06, 11/05

Malaysia beat Sri Lanka 'A' in the Consolation Draw second semi finals tie

Tzong Chua Lin beat Chamidu Thennakoon - 11/13, 11/03, 11/05, 11/08

Chun Cheun Wong beat Chinthaka Ekanayaka - 08/11, 11/08, 07/11, 11/09, 11/06

Tzong Lin Chua and Chun Wong beat Chinthaka Ekanayaka with Shehan Shanaka - 11/05, 11/09.