‘Unknown’ Sheshadi Kavindi of Dharmasoka, Ambalangoda beat NSG champ Ruvini Kannangara

by S.M. Jiffrey ABDEEN- Kandy Sports Correspondent at Ganegoda

TABLE TENNIS: From the oblivion, fourteen year old low ranked Sheshadi Kavindi of Dharmasoka College, Ambalangoda created a stunning upset to defeat the top seed and National School Games champion Ruvini Kannangara of Museaus College in the semi-finals and then went on to win the Girls Under 15 singles title at the Junior National Table Tennis Ranking Championship of the Sri Lanka Table Tennis Association. It was organised by the Jagath Rajapakse Table Tennis Academy and worked off at the Jagath Rajapaksa International Table Tennis Stadium at Ganegoda off Peradeniya on Friday.

This was one of the biggest in junior table tennis championship in recent years as Sheshadi was virtually an unknown quantity upto then and was among the 32 ranked players. In the semi-finals Ruvini Kannangara of Museaus College took the field as the top favourite as she had earlier won the National School Games open singles title and was ranked No. 1. But Sheshani Kavindi upset all her chances with a stunning win. Her forte was a strong back band drive coupled with a crash.

However, in the under 15 girls finals, Sheshadi Kavindi almost met with her waterloo at the hands of seventh ranked Muthumali Priyadharshani of Sri Devananda College, Ambalangoda by losing the first two sets by the identical margin of 9/11 and had to win the next set to stay in contention which she did by the margin of 11/7 and fought a grim battle to win the last two sets 11/6 and 13/11 to lift the junior title.

Nine-year-old Tanushi Rodrigo of Mahamaya Girls Colelge almost created another major upset before she went down fighting to top seed Himesha de Silva of Dharmasoka College, Ambalangoda. Entering the event low ranked in the girls udner-10 singles finals, she lost the first set 11/6, but fought back to winthe next two sets by the comfortable margin of 7/11, but fought back to win the next two sets by the comfortable margin of 7/11 and 4/11 before Himesha de Silva staged a recovery to win the last two sets 11/5 and 11/3. It was a gritty display by little |Tanushi Rodrigo.

One of the most promising paddlers in the local scene the top seeded Udaya Ranaisnghe of Vidyartha Colelge, Kandy, came up with another top display to win the boys under-15 singles title with a smashig 3-0 win over Randula Warusawitharane of Dharmasoka College. It was just one week ago that Udaya Ranasinghe won two major titles at the Central Province Open Badminton Championship and also bagged the Best Player of the Tournament Award.

Another event which produced exhilarating fare was the girls under 12 finals in which Kavindi Sheshadi beat her schoolmate Sathya Udayangani by the narrow margin of 3-2. Kavindhya Sheshadi was the top seed in this event while Sathya Udayangani was ranked four.

After the first set 11/7, Kavindhya lost the next two sets 12/4 and 8/11 and was made to fight all the way in the last two sets 11/9 and 11/8 before clinching the titles.

The only paddlers to win a title from the hill capital was top seed Disanka Tennakoon of Dharmaraja College who after an initial set back in the hands of eight ranked Krishan Nimesh of Dharmasoka losing 10/12, went on to win the next three sets 11/4, 12/10 and 11/6 to put the issue beyond doubt.

All other events saw the top seeds winning their titles without much difficulty. The winners were awarded the Jagath Rajapakse trophies. Jagath Rajapakse is a former national champion and is the present National Table Tennis coach and using his own resources has constructed the only Table Tennis Stadium meeting the international requirements which is fully carpetted and equipped with the latest scoring equipment and 16 matches could be played simultanously and tournaments could be completely early with the availability of 16 tables.

[RESULTS OF FINALS]

Under-12 girls singles: Kavindi Sheshadi (Dharmasoka College) beat Sathya Udayangani (Sri Devananda College) 11/7, 8/11, 12/14, 11/9, 11/8.

Under-12 boys singles: Disanka Tennakoon (Dharmasoka College) beat Krishan Nimash (Dharmasoka College) 10/12, 11/4, 12/10, 11/6.

Under-10 girls singles: Himesha de Silva (Dharmasoka Colelge) beat Tanushi Rodrigo (Mahamaya Girls Colelge) 11/6, 7/11, 11/5, 11/7.

Under-10 boys singles: Halitha Hendawitharana (Dharmasoka College) beat Tharusha D. Hansika (Dharmasoka College) 11/7, 11,7, 9/11, 12/10.

Under-15 girls singles: Sheshadi Kavindi (Dharmasoka College) beat Muthumali Priyadharshani (Sri Devananda College) 9/11, 9/11, 11/7, 11/6, 13/11.

Under-15 boys singles: Udya Ranasinghe (Vidyartha College) beat Randula Warusavitharane (Dharmasoka College) 11/6, 11/7, 11/7. The winners were awarded the Jagath Rajapaksa Trophies donated by the Table Tennis National Coach Jagath Rajapakse who also runs a table tennis academy at Ganegoda with facilities to play 16 matches at any given time.