KARACHI, Pakistan, April 13, 2025 (ePRESS) – Sri Lanka’s former national champion and current national runner-up Yeheni Kuruppu brought glory to her country by winning the Plate Championship at the Under-23 World Squash Championship, held at the DHA Creek Club Glass Court in Karachi, Pakistan, on Thursday.
The 21-year-old squash star crushed Pakistan’s Amna Fayyaz in the Plate final with a dominant 3-0 victory. The scores read 11-5, 11-5, and 11-1 — an outstanding win that highlighted Kuruppu’s growing strength on the international court.
Kuruppu, a proud product of Visakha Vidyalaya Colombo, fought hard through the consolation rounds after an early exit in the main draw. In the semi-final, she battled past France’s left-handed Ana Munos with a tight 12-9 win in a nail-biting one-set playoff. Earlier, in the quarterfinal, she overcame Pakistan’s Sana Bahadar in four intense sets: 9-11, 11-7, 11-7, and 11-3.
With this win, Yeheni is now ranked 17th in the world in the Under-23 category — a remarkable rise for a player with no coach in her corner and no easy path to success.
“This time, I need to take a second to recognize my own fight,” said Kuruppu in a heartfelt message after her victory. “Through work, life, and countless sacrifices, I’ve managed to carve out a place on the world stage — not through privilege or perfect conditions, but through passion, discipline, and pure determination.”
Kuruppu’s story is one of resilience. Training on her own, pushing herself day by day, she has emerged as one of Sri Lanka’s brightest squash prospects. This title marks her second major international success, following her victory at the Bangladesh Squash Open last year.
“This tournament didn’t just test me, it taught me how close I truly am,” she said. “It showed me I’ve only scratched the surface of what I can achieve — and now, I’m hungrier than ever.”
She thanked her parents, Sri Lanka Squash, Sri Lanka Navy players Priyantha and Buddhika, her fitness team at FHIIT, and supporters from Scholar.lk, Brandix Lanka, Gymkhana Colombo, and Singhalese Sports Club.
Yeheni Kuruppu’s journey continues — but with this Karachi triumph, she has already announced her arrival on the world arena.
