The upgraded standards of the sport were vividly evident as Ravindu Laksiri clinched his 11th consecutive Senior National Championship title, while Yeheni Kuruppu emerged victorious as the new Senior National Champion for the first time in her career after an intense battle in a thrilling 43rd Senior National Squash Championship held at the Air Force Squash Complex on Sunday marked a pivotal moment in Sri Lankan squash history.
Ravindu Laksiri, a former DS Senanayake College player currently ranked 140th in the world, showcased his global prowess gained from participating in PSA satellite tournaments. Facing tough competition from Shamil Wakeel, the country’s second-ranked player, Ravindu secured a 3-0 victory in the finals with a scoreline of 12-10, 11-3, and 14-12. The match was a testament to both players’ determination and provided spectators with a wonderful fight for the coveted title.
In the Men’s Open Semi-final, Ravindu continued his dominant run, defeating Shariff Hakeem 3-0 with scores of 11-3, 11-4, and 11-4. Reflecting on his achievement, Ravindu expressed his happiness at being the first Sri Lankan to clinch the Senior Men’s Open Championship for 11 consecutive times.
The Women’s Open Championship added another layer of excitement as Yeheni Kuruppu, a former Visakha Vidyalaya player, who marked her entry into PSA tournaments with a historic win in Bangladesh this year. Yeheni faced off against two-time Senior National Champion Chanithma Sinaly in a five-set final that kept spectators on the edge of their seats. The scoreline of 11-6, 9-11, 8-11, 12-10, and 11-7 reflected the intense fight between the two players, with Yeheni ultimately emerging victorious.
Squash experts praised this year’s championship, highlighting the historic nature of the Women’s Open final where Yeheni defeated defending champion Chanithma Sinaly and the country’s number one-ranked player. Yeheni’s journey to the title included a semifinal victory over three-time national champion Fathoum Issadeen, securing a 3-1 win with scores of 9-11, 11-8, 11-3, and 11-6.
“I am happy to win the National Championship Title because I beat a three-time national champion in the semi-final and the defending champion in the final,” expressed Yeheni Kuruppu, capturing the joy of her well-deserved crowning moment.
Results:
Men’s Open Winner: Ravindu Laksiri, Runner-up: Shamil Wakeel, Third Place: Nevindu Lakman (DS Senanayake College),
Women’s Open: Winner: Yeheni Kuruppu, Runner-up: Chanithma Sinaly, 3rd Place: Dewmini
Gallage (Informatics Institute of Technology),
Men’s Plate: Winner: SN Daniels (SL Army), Runner-up: LAC Edirisinghe EAHM (SL Air Force).
Veterans Over 50: Winner: Air Cdr DRW Jayawardena (SL Air Force), Runner-up: Air Cdr Upali
Wijeyaweera (Rtd) (SL Air Force), 3rd Place: SM Abdul Cader,
Men’s Over 40: Winner: Ravi Fernando, Runner-up: Cpl Maduranga Rajapaksha (SL Army), 3rd Place: Petty Officer WGD Priyadarshana (SL Navy),
Men’s Over 35: Winner: LAC de Silva HAS (SL Air Force), Runner-up: Sgt Dissanayake DMR (SL Army), 3rd Place: Lac Methsiri HWGM (SL Air Force),
Men’s Novices:
Winner: L/Cpl EM Vimukthi Ekanayaka (SL Army), Runner-up: Capt LES Liyanagamage (LES) SL Army, 3rd Place: PDJB Wickramasinghe,
Women’s Novices: Winner: Miss (Dr) Lumini Ameresekere, Runner-up: Malki Prabodani (SL Army), 3rd Place: Rashini Samanthika (SL Army).
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