Dumindu Abeywickrama and Viren Nettasinghe stole the limelight yesterday when they beat Indian opponents to enter men’s open pre quarter finals of the Li Ning Sri Lanka International Badminton series tournament played at Dadalla Indoor stadium in Galle yesterday.Sri Lanka Badminton organised this tournament.
In fact the two Sri Lankan youngsters have shown good fighting spirit to enter pre quarters which will be played today.
Dumindu Abeywickrama the Royalist had a hard fought three setter game 21-18,16-21,21-17 to beat Manraj Singh while Viren Nettasinghe the former St Peters shuttler who is top seed of this tournament also had a three setter 17-21,21-14,23-21 to beat Saneeth Dayanand to enter pre quarters.
Meanwhile National champion Buwaneka Goonatilleka had a three setter game but lost to Indian shuttler Tharun Mannepalli. Tharun beat Buwaneka 8-21 ,21-7,21-18.
Nepalian shuttler Prince Dahal defeated Sri Lanka Rusindu Hendahewa 9-21,21-12,21-13 while Vinutih Ranasinghe and Yenara Wickramasinghe won a three setter game 21-15,8-21,21-17 over another Sri Lanka pair Irushi Hewagallage and Sandathi Hewagallage in the women’s doubles pre quarters.
The pre quarter finals of the men’s and women’s singles and doubles and mixed doubles will be played today while finals will be played on February 18.
Dhammika Ratnaweera