Japan's Tsuji is girls singles champion

By Richard DWIGHT

TENNIS: The less fancied 13-year-old Japanese lass, Kanami Tsuji, though unseeded put up a splendid performance to outplay Sri Lanka's reputed, Jithmie Jayawickreme, the 17-year-old No. 3 seed - to become the International Tennis Federation's girls singles champion yesterday at the SSC Courts.

Both juniors Tsuji and Jithmie played exceedingly well to convincingly win their matches leading to the finals. Everything therefore pointed to a keen tussle for supremacy and a good match was expected. But it was not so for supremacy and a good match was expected. But it was not so, for Tsuji set the tone and direction for victory right from the first set where she conceded only one point. Her forte was to drive the ball skimming over the net to the far base line corner to the right of Jithmie which proved to be winners all the time.

Jithmie did make amends of sorts in the second set with aggressive power play which forced Tsuji to err and they were both on par with 3 points each. But thereafter Tsuji held her own to win the other points, save one to win the second set too and the match as well.

In this eight nation contest of the Junior International Tennis Federation Championship, Sri Lanka has done well with Guyanga Weerasekera having won the boys singles title, the boys doubles being won by Amresh Jayawickrema and D. Thangarjah and Jithmie Jayawickreme being the runner-up in the girls singles. The girls doubles and the girls singles was won by Japan.

Results

Girls Singles: Kanami Tsuji (Jap) bt Jithmie Jayawickrema (SL) 6-6-1, 6-4.

Girls Doubles: Yoko Nagai and Emi Okazaki (Jap) bt Erina Fukukawa and Kanami Tsuji (Jap) 4-6, 6-3 (10-7).

Boys Single: Guyanga Weerasekera (SL) bt P. Sornjaratsuwan (Thai) 6-0, 6-2.

Boys Doubles: Amresh Jaywickrema and D. Thangarajah (SL) bt Natasith Luesantia and Tas Suwanasang (Thai) 3-6, 6-3 (15-13).