Sri Lanka’s top-ranked tennis player and national champion Apna Perera, alongside star player Ashen Silva, secured their spots in the men’s open singles final at the SLTA-YETI Hard Court Tennis Nationals held at the Sri Lanka Tennis Association courts in Colombo yesterday.
Apna Perera delivered a gritty performance against Luca Knese, winning with identical set scores of 7-5, 7-5. His precise groundstrokes and tactical baseline play kept Knese under constant pressure, ultimately sealing the victory.
Ashen Silva displayed exceptional performance and composure as he defeated national Under-18 champion Methvan Wijemanne of Royal College 6-4, 6-3. Silva’s powerful serves and aggressive net play were key elements that contributed to his success.
The much-anticipated men’s final between Apna and Ashen is scheduled for 8 AM today.
Meanwhile, in the girls division,
Yuhansa Peiris dominated her match against Siyaca Devappriyan, winning 6-0, 6-1. Sandithi Usgodaarachchi overpowered Sahansa Damsiluni with a 6-2, 6-0 victory. Meanwhile, Venuli Jayasinghe battled past Lihini Jayakodi 6-3, 6-3.. Akesha Silva overcame a tough challenge from Gehansa Methnadi, recovering from a first-set loss to win 6-7 (7), 6-0, 4-1 before Gehansa retired due to injury.
In the Girls’ Under-12 semifinals,
Sanuthi Wong displayed dominance by defeating Samira Fernando 6-0, 6-1. In a closer encounter, Sethuli Muthugama edged past Sayuri Muthutantri 7-5, 6-4 with a well-rounded game.
SAJEEWA JAYAKODY