Sri Lankan wheelchair tennis players displayed exceptional performance at the Club Megasaray Tennis Academy in Antalya, Turkey. The tournament concluded on April 28. Suresh Dharmasena’s journey to the semi-finals stood out, alongside commendable performances from the entire Sri Lankan team.
In the singles category, Dharmasena faced tough competition throughout the tournament. He showcased his prowess by defeating Obukhov Vadim from Russia in the first round. However, his journey ended in the semi-finals after a closely contested match against Cattaneo Fredric from France, where he lost 1/6, 7/5, 7/6.
Joining Dharmasena in the singles category were teammates Prasanna Wijesiri and Gamini Dissanayake. Both players fought valiantly but were unable to advance beyond the quarter-finals. Wijesiri lost to Jasiak Geoffrey from France in a match that ended 6/4, 6/4, while Dissanayake faced defeat against Hel Hussein Hamid from Iraq with a score of 6/1,6/0.
In the doubles category, Dharmasena and Dissanayake formed a formidable partnership. They showed great chemistry on the court but fell short in the semi-finals, losing to their opponents with a score of 2/6, 6/7. The highlight of the tournament for the Sri Lankan team was undoubtedly the thrilling quarter-final match in the doubles category. Dissanayake and Dharmasena faced Maripa Evans and Prasanna Wijesiri, emerging victorious after a hard-fought battle that ended 6/3, 4/6, 10/8. However, their journey came to an end in the semi-finals against Groenewoud Robin and Ter hofte Maarten, losing 1/6, 6/7 to the second-seeded pair.
The event, featuring a prize pool of $14,000, attracted top-notch talent from around the world. The Sri Lankan team, consisting of Gamini Dissanayake, Suresh Dharmasena, and WPJ Wijesiri, was led by Coach Sankha Atukorale.
Sajeewa Jayakody