Tennis has grown at SSC by leaps and bounds

by Ranjan Anandappa

During the last few years, SSC’s tennis has grown from strength to strength, and their tennis has been improving rapidly by the years and the tournament they conduct has a touch of professionalism with the assistance of their able committee.

These were the sentiments of the Chief Executive Officer of the SLTA Lionel Almeida who spoke at a press briefing at the SSC’s air conditioned pavilion in connection with the Fourth SSC Open Tennis Championship 2006, that started yesterday and will go on till Sept. 30 at the SSC courts.

The cream of Sri Lankan tennis players are expected to participate with three times winner and the present national champion Harshana Godamanne and players of the calibre of Rajeev Rajapakse, Rohan de Silva, and Sankha Athukorale to battle-it-out for supremacy. Former six-times national champion 47 year-old Arjun Fernando is expected to partner his 14-year-old son Aravind in the men’s open doubles. Among the women who have entered, are reigning national champion Jithmie Jayawickrema, Thavindra Ekanayake, Nilupul Goonesekera, Amritha Muthiah and Maheshi Seneviratne.

The championship offers the highest prize money in the history of Sri Lankan tennis which is over Rs. 500,000 for the winners.

The winner of the men’s open singles event will receive a sum of Rs. 100,000 and winner of the women’s singles will receive Rs. 50,000. Attractive cash prizes will be awarded to other winners.

Sponsors have been rallying around this tournament with Citi Group, Dimo and ABC Insurance heading the list as principal sponsors. The co-sponsors are Vendol, Prince and Origin. Prince will be the official tennis ball for the tournament.

Vasantha Wijesekera, the chairman of the SSC Tennis House Committee said that SSC has been synonymous with cricket, and swimming at times, but the first tournament held in 2003 which was a grand success has given them a lot of encouragement which made them to continue with the tournament to upgrade the tourney and infrastructure further-more.

The facilities have been upgraded at the SSC-five floodlit play courts for matches to be played uninterrupted to the conclusion in case badlight intervenes.
S. Raghunathan (TATA India), Ranjith Pandithage (MD Dimo), Vianni Gunarathne (ABC Insurance), Ruwan Amarasinghe (MD Solki Sports), Iyanthi Amarasinghe (Relationship Manager Citi Bank) and Aruna Seneviratne (Tournament Director) also spoke.