NUWARA ELIYA, Apr 19 – (ePRESS) – Methvan Wijemanne of Royal College Colombo and Akeesha Silva of Newstead College Negombo emerged as the standout champions, winning the Men’s and Women’s Singles titles at the Hill Club Tennis Tournament 2026, which concluded in Nuwara Eliya last Friday.
Wijemanne produced a flawless performance in the men’s final, crushing Nevan Kannangara 6-0, 6-0 in a one-sided contest that underlined his class and control on court. The Royalist showed strong serving and sharp groundstrokes throughout the tournament, finishing without dropping a set in the final.
Top seed Silva had to fight harder in the women’s final but showed great composure to defeat second seed Yuhansa Peiris 2-1 (1-6, 6-3, 6-4). After losing the first set, Silva bounced back with determination, adjusting her game and dominating the next two sets to secure the title.
Both champions also impressed in doubles events, completing a memorable double triumph. Wijemanne, partnering former Royal College player Dhilvan Herath, won the Men’s Doubles title with a straight-sets victory of 7-5, 6-3 over Bhshman Balarathnarajah and Jagath Gamage in the final.
In the Women’s Doubles, Silva teamed up with Gehansa Methnadi to beat the top-seeded pair Tuvini de Alwis and Sandithi Usgodaarachchi 4-2, 4-2 in a confident display.
Silva’s dominance extended to the junior categories as well. She clinched the Under-18 Singles title and added the Girls’ Under-16 Doubles crown, highlighting her rising status in Sri Lanka’s tennis scene.
The annual tournament, organised by the Sri Lanka Tennis Association, was held from April 11 to 17 in the cool conditions of Nuwara Eliya, attracting some of the country’s leading school and club players.
