Harshana clinches Men’s Singles title
Angu RAJENDRAN
Harshana Godamanne beat Dineshkanthan Thangaraja in straight sets 6-0
6-3 6-4 to win his second crown - the men’s singles championship for the
sixth year in succession at the Senior Tennis Nationals at the SLTA. As
expected, Dinesh was no match for tennis hero Harshana who used every
ace and winner to smash Dinesh out of the court.
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Amritha Muthiah who bagged the Women’s Single title in
action. Picture by Angu Rajendran |
Harshana won his first title day before yesterday when he and partner
Rajiv Rajapakse beat youngsters Vimuktha de Alwis and Guyanga
Weerasekera in the men’s open doubles championships.
Harshana now partners Shalini de Silva in the mixed doubles
semi-finals against Rohan de Silva and Dushinka Subramaniam. Shalini de
Silva is a former triple crown champion of the year 2001. She will play
with this year’s champion Harshana against her husband Rohan who is also
a former national champion. The semi-final will see husband versus wife.
Wonder who their four-year-old son will support? Shalini feels he
will support the winning side which will be herself and national
champion Harshana Godamanne. Shalini de Silva is also a women’s doubles
champion in the finals with Amritha Muthiah against Sherine Wijesinghe
and Nilushi Fernando. Amritha Muthiah and Shalini beat Sherine and
Nilushi in straight sets 6-2 6-2 to win the women’s doubles yesterday.
Amritha Muthiah has won the women’s singles championships day before
yesterday and will go for yet another win in the mixed doubles.
With two titles in their pockets both Harshana and Amritha may have
to face each other in the mixed doubles finals. One of them will get the
triple crown.
Doubles partners Amritha Muthiah and Rajiv Rajapakse beat Roshenka
Fernando and Sanka Athukorale in straight sets in the semi finals of the
mixed doubles yesterday.
Harshana plays with senior player Shalini de Silva as his partner in
the mixed doubles while Amritha - the current national women’s champion
plays with Sri Lanka’s Davis Cup player Rajiv Rajapakse. This will be
the most interesting final of the entire tournament and will be played
tomorrow.
The triple crown for Harshana or Amritha? A match that will excite
all tennis fans at the SLTA - the mixed doubles finals. |
