COLOMBO, February 3 (ePRESS) – Zacharia Akbar and Thishya Banagala produced fine performances to win the Boys’ and Girls’ Under-12 singles titles at the YETI SSC Open Tennis Championship 2026, played at the SSC Tennis Courts, Maitland Place, Colombo.
In the Boys’ Under-12 final, Zacharia Akbar of S. Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia, defeated Kashya Seneviratne in a hard-fought three-set match, winning 6/2, 2/6, 6/4. Zacharia started strongly by taking the first set with steady groundstrokes and good court control. Kashya fought back well in the second set to level the match. In the deciding set, Zacharia showed better fitness and patience to seal the title.
Earlier in the semi-final, Zacharia beat Satheesh Appathuri in straight sets, 6/1, 6/3, with consistent baseline play and accurate shot placement.
In the Girls’ Under-12 final, Thishya Banagala of Visakha Vidyalaya beat Thiyansa De Silva in straight sets, 7/5, 6/2. The first set was closely contested, but Thishya stayed calm in the key points to take the lead. She then controlled the second set with solid returns and fewer errors to clinch the championship.
In the semi-final, Thishya Banagala defeated Manuli Seneviratne 6/4, 6/4, showing good movement and strong forehand strokes.
The Under-12 finals highlighted the rising standard of junior tennis in Sri Lanka, with both champions displaying confidence, discipline and strong match temperament at this major junior event.
