Sri Lanka’s rising tennis talents Methvan Wijemanne and Ivanka Samarasinghe brought honour to the country as they surged into the quarter-finals of the ITF Junior Circuit – Week 2 at the SLTA Clay Courts in Colombo yesterday.
In the Singles, both Wijemanne and Samarasinghe overcame their opponents in the early rounds to secure their spots in the quarter-finals, slated for today.
Ivanka
Samarasinghe
Wijemanne demonstrated his dominance on the court, breezing through the First Round by defeating Thailand’s Par Chandragholica with a commanding score of 6-0, 6-2. His momentum continued into the second round, where he triumphed over India’s M. Diganath, clinching victory with a scoreline of 6-2, 6-2.
Meanwhile, Samarasinghe showcased her finesse in the Women’s Singles, dispatching Singapore’s Salina Jayesh Vaidya in straight sets with scores of 6-4, 6-3. Her journey began with a hard-fought victory against Malaysia’s Alexendra Talina in the first round, where she emerged victorious after two intense sets, both ending 7-6 in her favour.
Adding to the Sri Lankan contingent’s success, Vichinthaya Nilaweera displayed exceptional serving and rallying skills to secure a notable win in the first round against Bo Zhi Leo of Chinese Taipei, with a scoreline of 7-5, 6-4. Dinara de Silva also made her mark, overpowering Aditi Paturi of the USA in straight sets with an impressive score of 6-1, 6-0.
Despite the commendable efforts of Nilaweera and de Silva, both athletes faced tough challenges in the second round, resulting in losses that halted their journey in the tournament.
As the competition intensifies, all eyes are on Wijemanne and Samarasinghe as they prepare to battle in the quarter-finals today, carrying the hopes of Sri Lanka’s tennis enthusiasts with them.
Sajeewa Jayakody