Goddamanna and Muttaih in doubles’ shock

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Category: tennis

Published on Tuesday, 26 July 2011 01:35

Written by Guyanga Weerasekera

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Sri Lanka’s number one men’s and women’s tennis players, Harshana Goddamanna and Amritha Muttaih, suffered shock defeats in the men’s and women’s doubles events at the recently concluded 96th Colombo Championships.

Harshana Goddamanna, who won the singles event of the tournament with relative ease, was partnering Sri Lanka Davis Cup poolist, Sankha Atukorale. After an easy passage to the finals, they met Davis Cup players, Rajeev Rajapakshe and T Dineshkanthan, which proved to be an interesting and even match up.

Goddamanna and Atukorale’s 6-2 first set victory seemed futile, as Rajapakshe and Dineshkanthan’s had the ability to convert the crucial points in their favour to run away with the next 3 sets 6-2 6-3 7-6.

Similar fate awaited Amritha Muttaih, in the women’s doubles semi-final. Muttaih partnering the experienced Shalini De Silva, met the Under 16 champion Thisuri Molligoda and Mahesha Seniviratne, which proved to be one of the best matches of the fortnight, Muttaih and De Silva, the reigning national champions were downed 3-6 6-4 7-6(5) by the eventual winners of the doubles event.

Both Goddamanna and Muttaih won the men’s and women’s singles’ titles respectively. Goddamanna overcame his familiar rival Dineshkanthan 6-3 6-2 6-2 and Muttaih thrashed Nilushi Fernando 6-1 6-2 to take the singles crowns.

Almost all the top seeds of the junior and senior events prevailed to be finalist. With Nishangan Nadaraja and Nilushi Fernando taking away the top junior titles.

The Sri Lanka Tennis Association’s playing section played host for the prestigious Colombo Championships, where Dharaka Ellawala was the event’s referee. The local tennis fraternity next looks forward for Sri Lanka National Championships due to begin in mid August.

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