Colombo, Feb 15, 5.50PM – Sri Lanka’s junior boys’ team triumphed over Keyrigistan in the semi-final, securing their spot in the finals at the ITF World Junior Asia Oceania Pre-Qualifying Tournament held at the Sri Lanka Tennis Association courts in Colombo. However, the girls’ team, despite a strong effort, faced defeat against Nepal and was eliminated from the competition.
The boys’ team, featuring Risith Somaratne of Ananda College and Ashlin de Silva of St. Peter’s College, will face India in today’s final. Notably, both finalists will progress to the next stage of the tournament in Malaysia as part of the ITF World Junior Series.
In contrast, the Sri Lankan junior girls’ team, comprised of Sandithi Usgodaarachichi of Musaeus College and Akesha Silva of Holy Family Convent, suffered a setback against Nepal, leading to their elimination from the tournament.
In the boys’ matches, Sri Lanka outshone Keyrigistan with a 2-0 victory. Risith Somaratna defeated Maksim Kim with a flawless 6-0, 6-0 in the first singles match, while Ashlin de Silva secured a win against Ridvan Loianov with a score of 0-6, 6-2, 6-3 in the second singles match.
The girls’ team faced a tough challenge against Nepal, losing 2-1. Swastika Bista of Nepal claimed victory over Sandithi Usgodaarachchi with a score of 6-3, 3-6, 6-0 in the first singles match. However, Akesha Silva bounced back for Sri Lanka, defeating Shivali Gurunuge of Nepal with a score of 7-5, 6-3 in the second singles match. In the doubles, Shivali Gurunuge and Swastika Bista of Nepal overcame Sandithi Usgodaarachchi and Akesha Silva of Sri Lanka with a score of 6-3, 3-6, 9-6.
On Saturday, the boys’ final will see Sri Lanka facing India, with both teams aiming to secure their spot in the final qualifying round scheduled from March 25th to 30th in Malaysia. The girls’ final will feature Nepal against Indonesia, with both teams eyeing qualification for the final qualifying round set to take place from March 18th to 23rd in Malaysia.