Sri Lanka Sports News | Sundayobserver.lk

Sri Lanka Davis Cup player Harshana Godamanna and Amritha Muttiah were the men's and women's singles open champions at the 95th Colombo Tennis Championships concluded at Greenpath last week.

Over 35 singles champion and former Sri Lanka Davis Cup player Rohan de Silva receives his award from the Sports Editor of the Sunday Leader T.M.K. Samat.

Girls Under-12 singles champion Nethmi Waduge receives her award from veteran sports journalist T.B. Rahaman

Godamanna completed a grand double, winning the men's singles and men's doubles finals in grand fashion. He took no time to overcome Arthur Hewacottege in straight sets 6-1, 6-2 in the men's open singles final.

He also won men's doubles title partnering Rajiv Rajapaksa. The duo beat Amresh Jayawickrema and Dineshkanthan Thangarajah 6-1, 6-0 in the final.

But the most outstanding performance of the tournament came from young Muttiah who underlined her supremacy with a triple crown.

Apart from the women's open singles 'crown', she also won Girls Under-18 singles title and Mixed doubles final. Triple queen Muttiah had some anxious moments in the first set before completing a good straight sets win over Shankari Thayakaran 7-5, 6-2 in the women's singles final.

Muttiah was consistent with her superior skills on court to pocket two more titles. She overcame Nilushi Fernando in the Girls Under-18 final.

Her third triumph in the championship was in the women's doubles, partnering Shalini de Silva. She also won the Mixed Doubles partnering Rajiv Rajapaksa.

This year's tournament, conducted under the guidance of the President of the SLTA Playing Section Suresh Subramaniam, was a landmark in the near century old history of the Colombo Championships. Attractive cash wards worth over Rs. 600,000/- were offered to the champions of the tournament. The men's singles championship winner pocketed Rs. 150,000/-, including a cash award of Rs. 120,000/-.

The dedicated team of officials who ran the show ..... (from left) Tournament referee Dharaka Ellawala, tournament director Udith Wickremasonghe and Tournament Committee Chairman Kumar Gunawardena.

President of the SLTA Playing Section and former Sri Lanka tennis chief Suresh Subramaniam addressing the gathering at the awards ceremony.

The 2010 Colombo Championship attracted the highest number of entries in the 95-year-old history of the tournament. That was mainly due to the bold decision of the tournament committee to reduce entry fees. Though the entry fees was the lowest ever in the history of a major championship, the tournament offered the highest ever prize money offered at any tennis championship in Sri Lanka.

Under 12-Boys - Anthony de Silva; Under 12-Girls - Nethmi Waduge Under 14-Boys - Danushka Abeywardena ; Under 14-Girls - Thisuri Molligoda ; Nethmi Waduge Under 14 Doubles - Boys - Avishka Perera/Sanjive Mohankumar; Under 14 Doubles - Girls - Thisuri Molligoda/Kavindya De Silva Under 16 - Boys - Nishangan Nadarajah - Aritha Weerasinghe Under 16 - Girls - Thisuri Molligoda Under 18- Boys - Ashan Dep Under 18 - Girls - Amritha Muttiah Under 18 Doubles - Boys - Amresh jayawickrema/M A Shakir Under 18 Doubles - Girls Winner - Kemalie Herath/Nilushi Fernando

Mixed Doubles - Amritha Muttiah/Rajeev Rajapakshe Women's Doubles - Amritha Muttiah/Shalini de Silva Men's Doubles - Harshana Godamanna/Rajeev Rajapakshe Women's Singles - Amritha Muttiah Men's Singles - Harashana Godamanna Wheel Chair Singles - Gamini Dissanayaka Wheel Chair Doubles - Gamini Dissanayaka/K M S P Perera Men's over 35 Singles - Rohan de Silva Men's over 35 Doubles - Rohan de Silva/Dan Mukandun Men's over 45 Singles, Ravi Subramanium Runners up - Sylvester Francis Men's over 45 Doubles - Aruna Senevirathna/Chammika de Silva Men's over 55 Singles - Gananath Indrakumar Men's over 55 Doubles - Dan Mukandun/Ranjith Corea Men's over 65 Singles - S Yogarathnam Men's over 65 Doubles - R David/C Kadirgamar.

Men’s singles champion Harshana Godamanna receives the A.C. Gunaratne challenge trophy from the chief guest, Editor-in-Chief of the Sunday Observer Dinesh Weerawansa. In centre is Prof. Mohan Munasinghe who donated the A.C. Gunaratne challenge trophy.

Sria Munasinghe Challenge trophy was awarded to Amritha Muttiah by the chief guest, Editor-in-Chief of the Sunday Observer Dinesh Weerawansa. Muttiah also won Girls under-18, women’s doubles (with Shalini de Silva) and Mixed Doubles (with Rajiv Rajapaksa).

Harshana and Amritha win men's and women's singles