Ravindu Laksiri and Fathoum Issadeen clinched the Men’s and Women’s Open title respectively at the Air Force Open Professional Squash Association (PSA) Satellite Championship 2022, held at the SLAF Base in Ratmalana.
Laksiri, the nine-time national champion fresh after his success in the recent PSA international tour, continued his excellent form to beat Pakistan’s Farhan Zaman in the Men’s Open final while Issadeen had the better of Yeheni Kuruppu in the Women’s Open final.
Even then, the tournament favourite Zaman, a former world number 47 and Gold Medallist at the South Asian Games in 2016, was on his way to victory after taking the first two sets at scores of 11-7 and 11-9 respectively.
However, Laksiri made a great effort to win the third set at 12-10 before continuing to win the next two sets at 13-11 and 11-6 to secure the Air Chief Marshal P. H. Mendis Challenge Trophy.
Meanwhile, three-time national champion Issadeen secured the Air Chief Marshal Harry Gunathilaka Memorial Trophy when she defeated Kuruppu from Visakha Vidyalaya in the Women’s Open final.
Results (All finals)
(Girls’ Under-13): Ifra Booso (St. Paul’s Girls’ School, Milagiriya) beat Punsara Wickramasinghe (Anula Vidyalaya, Nugegoda). (Boys’ Under-13): Manuth Dassanayake (Geteway College) beat Linuka Silva (D. S. Senanayake College). (Girls’ Under-15): Punsara Wickramasinghe (Anula Vidyalaya, Nugegoda) beat Nethmi Wickramasinghe (Ladie’s College, Colombo).(Boys’ Under-15): Matheesha Wijesekara (Royal College, Colombo) beat Bihandu Nanayakkara (Geteway College). (Girls’ Under-17): Adhithi Gunasekera (Ladies’ College, Colombo) beat Irudinithi Wood (Lindsay Balika Vidyalaya). (Boys’ Under-17): Matheesha Wijesekara (Royal College, Colombo) beat Mohamed Rilwan (St. Joseph’s College, Colombo). (Girls’ Under-19): Chanithma Sinaly (Sirimavo Bandaranaike Vidyalaya) beat Irudinithi Wood (Lindsay Balika Vidyalaya). (Boys’ Under-19): Nevndu Lakman (D. S. Senanayake College) beat Thinura Randina (Nalanda College, Colombo). (Men’s Over-35): D. E. Silva (Sri Lanka Air Force) beat K. G. Prabath (Sri Lanka Army). (Men’s Over-40): Eranda Geeganage (Sri Lanka Air Force) beat A. C. C. Kumara (Sri Lanka Navy). (Men’s Over-45): Abdul Cader beat Duleep Hewavitharana (Sri Lanka Air Force). (Veterans Over-50): Abdul Cader beat Mevan Rajeeve. (Women’s Novices): Senuji Jayarathne (Sirimavo Bandaranaike Vidyalaya) beat Dahami Peiris (Kotelawala Defence University). (Men’s Novices): A. J. A. I. Dilan (Sri Lanka Army) beat R. M. S. V. P. Rathnayaka (Sri Lanka Army). (Men’s Plate): R. M. S. L. K. Ekanayaka (Sri Lanka Army) beat E. A. H. M. Edirisinghe (Sri Lanka Air Force). (Women’s Open): Fathoum Issadeen beat Yeheni Kuruppu. (Men’s Open): Ravindu Laksiri beat Farhan Zaman (Pakistan Air Force).