Colombo, Feb 19, 9.45PM – Sri Lanka’s young tennis stars, both boys and girls, triumphed in all six matches they contested against Mongolia and Qatar at the ITF Junior Billie Jean King Cup and Junior Davis Cup Asia/Oceania Pre-Qualifying event. The tournament commenced at the Sri Lanka Tennis Association (SLTA) courts in Colombo.
In the boys’ division, Ganuka Fernando, Lathum Jayabandu, and Aahil Kaleel represented Sri Lanka. They played three matches, comprising two singles and one doubles encounter, against Mongolia. The girls’ team, featuring Dinara de Silva, Ivanka Samarasinghe, and Arushi Thomas, secured victories in all three matches against Qatar.
The Sri Lankan boys’ team delivered a stellar performance against Mongolia, clinching a 3-0 win. Ganuka Fernando defeated Mandakh Davaadash with a score of 6-0, 6-1 in the first singles match, while Lithium Jayabandu triumphed over Zolbadar Urnukh with scores of 6-3, 6-2 in the second singles match. In the doubles match, Ganuka Fernando and Aahil Kaleel outplayed Mandakh Davaadash and Zolbadar Urnukh with a score of 6-4, 6-1. The Sri Lankan boys’ next match is against Iraq scheduled for Wednesday.
Similarly, the Sri Lankan girls’ team dominated Qatar with a 3-0 victory. Ivanka Samarasinghe defeated Safiya Al Thani with a score of 6-1, 6-1 in the first singles match, while Dinara de Silva overpowered Hind Al Mudahka with scores of 6-2, 6-0 in the second singles match. In the doubles encounter, Dinara de Silva and Arushi Thomas secured a convincing win over Afiya Al Thani and Khadija Gassama with scores of 6-2, 6-1. The next challenge for the Sri Lankan girls’ team is against Maldives.
The tournament features 20 nations in the Junior Billie Jean King Cup (JBJKC) and 24 nations in the Junior Davis Cup (JDC). It follows a round-robin format, leading to quarter-finals and ultimately the finals. The top teams from both the Junior Billie Jean King Cup and Junior Davis Cup will earn coveted spots to compete in the Final Qualifying round scheduled to take place in Kazakhstan later this year.
