Top seed Sharmal in easy win over Dasun

by Sajeewa Jayakody

Quarter-finalists found in the Under-18 Singles event of the 98th Sri Lanka Tennis Nationals worked off at the Sri Lanka Tennis Association courts, Colombo 7 yesterday.

Top seeded Sharmal Dissanayake had an easy two straight set win over Dasun Fonseka in the second round as Royal College's Dissanayake won by 6-0 and 6-0 and he will meet Yasitha de Silva, who managed to secure quarter-final place after losing the first set 4-6 to Venuka Hulangamuwa and bounced back to win the match by 6-2 and 6-1 in the second and third sets.

Aritha Weerasinghe advanced to the quarter-finals by beating Joshua Jayaratne 2-1. Jayaratne won the first set 6-4 and the third seeded Weerasinghe made home with an ease in the other two sets as he grabbed as identical two sets 6-3, 6-3.

St Thomas' College's Avishka Silva, who had a walkover in the first round in the scheduled match with Sebastian Sansoni, easily outplayed Naadir Nazar. The fifth seeded Mount Lavinia school's Perera qualified for today's quarter-finals after an excellent two sets of 6-1 and 6-1 in the second round.

Joshua Moraes, who won the first round by 6-0, 6-1 beating Hasitha Balapatabendige, recorded two sets in a row as he won 6-2 and 6-2 over Viranka Fernando in the second round to out in the today's quarter finals.

Another fine Royal College tennis player, Dhanushka Abeywardena won his second round match by 6-2 and 6-3 overcoming Udishtran Raviraj to fight against Joshua Moraes in today's quarter-final clash.

Supun Pathirage and Nishangan Nadarajah will be playing today as Pathirage defeated Gamitha Chandraguptha by 6-0, 6-0. St Peter's College Nadarajah won in style as he against Nishada Gunasekara, who had a walk over in the first round.

Results:

Sharmal Dissanayake beat Dasun Fonseka by 6-0, 6-0, Yasitha de Silva beat Venuka Hulangamuwa by 4-6, 6-2, 6-1, Aritha Weerasinghe beat Joshua Jayaratne by 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, Avishka Perera beat Naadir Nazar by 6-1, 6-1, Joshua Moraes beat Viranka Fernando by 6-2, 6-2, Dhanushka Abeywardena beat Udishtran Raviraj by 6-2, 6-3, Supun Pathirage beat Gamitha Chandraguptha by 6-0, 6-0, Nishangan Nadarajah beat Nishada Gunasekara by 6-0, 6-0.