Triple crown for Godamanne, Amirtha too excels

Richard Dwight

The 94th Sri Lanka Tennis Nationals which was brought to a close last Sunday at the SLTA courts - ended on a triumphant note for, Harshana Godamanne, an outstanding player who achieved a triple in that he won the men's singles on Saturday and on Sunday he went onto win the mixed doubles and the men's doubles.

A splendid performance considering that he has won the men's singles for four consecutive years.

Excelling amongst the women was Amirtha Muttiah who won the women's singles for the first time, she did also win the women's doubles and the Junior under 18 singles.

Heartening it was to see former President of the SLTA - D. L. Seneviratne along with Neil Gallaher win the over 70 doubles for the second successive year.

In recognition and appreciation of the effort put in by the players and those involved in the nationals the SLTA really turned it on to make the awards ceremony a memorable one.

Prizes were distributed by former Presidents of the SLTA, officials the representatives of the sponsor, Kholer and Ralhum Trading.

The chief guests were the Vice Chair of the UN Inter Governmental Panel on Climate Change and shared Nobel Prize winner Prof. Mohan Munasinghe, Mrs. Sriya Munasinghe and the Secretary, Ministry of Sports and Public Recreation, S. Liyanagama.

The distribution of prizes which was staggered was interspersed by dances performed by the Air Force dance troupe.

Results

Junior Tennis Nationals

Girls

Under 10 singles winner - Medhira Samarasinghe, Runner up - Asalya Bandara

U 12 singles winner - Kavindya De Silva, Runner up - Thisuri Molligoda

U 14 singles winner - Shankarai Thayakaran, Runner up - Dinushki Ranasinghe

U 16 singles winner - Shankarai Thayakaran, Runner up - Dinushki Ranasinghe

U 18 singles winner - Amirtha Muttiah, Runner up - Nilupul Gunesekera

Boys

Under 10 singles winner - A. Pushparaj, Runner up - A. Muttiah

U 12 singles winner - C. Fernando, Runner up - A. Vimuktha

U 14 singles winner - S. Dissanayake, Runner up - N. Nishangan

U 16 singles winner - V. de Alwis, Runner up - T. Eshwarage

U 18 singles winner - D. Thangarajah, Runner up - V. De Alwis

Doubles Boys

U 14 winner - S. Dissanayake and D. Abeywardena, Runner up - N. Nadaraja and A. Assauw

U 18 winner - D. Thangarajah and A. Jayawickrema, Runner up - G. Weerasekara and S. Gomesz

Most Outstanding Junior Player

Girl - Shankarai Thayakaran

Boy - Dineshkanthan Thangarajah

Men's and Women's open events

Mixed Doubles winner - Harshana Godamanne and Shalini De Silva, Runner up - Amirtha Muttiah and Rajeev Rajapakse

Women's Doubles winner - Shalini De Silva and Amirtha Muttiah, Runner up - Sobani De Silva and Roshenka Fernando

Men's Doubles winner - H. Godamanne and R. Rajapakse, Runner up - S. Atukorale and R. Cooray

Women's Singles winner - Amirtha Muttiah, Runner up - Nilupul Gunesekara

Men's Singles winner - Harshana Godamanne, Runner up - Rajeev Rajapakse

Over 70 Doubles winner - D. I. Seneviratne and Neil Gallaher, Runner up - K. Subramaniam and C. Kathirgamar

Over 65 Doubles winner - Mervyn Fernando and Ranjith David, Runner up - Sunil de Silva and Surath Jayathilake

Over 65 Singles winner - Mervyn Fernando, Runner up - Neil Gallaher

Over 55 Doubles winner - Gananath Indrakumar and Gavin Perera, Runner up - Gerald Mendis and C. J. Ranaweera

Over 45 Singles winner - Ravi Subramanium, Runner up - Chammika de Silva

Over 45 Doubles winner - Ravi Perera and Adrian Seneviratne, Runner up - L. K. Jayasuriya and Sunil Wijeratne

Over 40 Mixed Doubles winner - Edward Perera and Rekah Karunaratne, Runner up - Sylvester Francis and Andrea Francis

Wheelchair Doubles winner - Mahanama Basnayake and Upali Rajakaruna, Runner up - Gamini Dissanayake and Sunil Perera

Wheelchair Singles winner - Upali Rajakaruna, Runner up - Gamini Dissanayake