Viren, Panchali clinch singles crowns

WPBA Open Championships 2021

Viren Nettasinghe and Panchali Adhikari clinched the men’s and women’s singles crowns at the Western Province Badminton Association (WPBA) – organised Open Ranking Championships which marked the return of competitive badminton action at the MBA and Otters Courts over the weekend.

Nettasinghe beat Dumindu Abeywickrama 21-14, 22-20 in the men’s singles final while Adhikari overcame her counterpart Ranithma Liyanage in a thrilling final which was stretched to three sets (19-21, 21-14, 21-12).

Earlier, Nettasingle also won the men’s doubles title with his partner Rasindu Hendahewa when the talented duo overcame Resintha de Silva and Shamika de Silva in straight sets (21-12, 21-11).

Meanwhile, Adhikari and her doubles partner Manudi Mithara had to satisfy with the runner-up position after losing to Buthmi Galagamage and Nadeesha Gayanthi (16-21, 21-18, 21-17) in the final.

The mixed doubles title was won by Thulith Palliyaguru and Buthmi Galagamage who beat Lochana de Silva and Raini Abeysingha (21-16, 21-16) in the final.

Sachen Fernando (U-17) and Siyath Senaratne (U-19) emerged victorious in the boys’ singles finals while Varangana Jayawardana (U-17) and Suhasni Vidanage (U-19) clinched girls’ singles titles.

Sunil Jayasiri, Rohan Fernando, George Karunanayake, Mahinda Jayaweera, Subash Janaka, Gihan Ranasinghe and RuviniRathnasiri also won singles titles in their respective age groups.

The tournament was the first open ranking event to take place following a long break due to the COVID-19 pandemic which disrupted the country’s badminton competition schedule.

The tournament was conducted under the supervision of Sri Lanka Badminton (SLB) with all measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 being followed.

SLT Mobitel was the main sponsor of the event which saw over 300 shuttlers in action.

Results of Western Province Open Badminton Championships 2021

Men’s Doubles 65

Winners: E M Chandratilaka/A Karunagaran

Runners-up: L G Amaratunga/Gamini Jayawardana

Men’s Singles 65

Winner: Sunil Jayasiri

Runner-up: Gamini Jayawardana

Men’s Singles 55 / 60

Winner: Rohan Fernando

Runner-up: ArunaKrishantha

Men’s Singles 50

Winner: George Karunanayake

Runner-up: Mangala Gamage

Men’s Doubles 45

Winner: Clarence Homer/Duminda Jayakody

Runner-up: Mahinda Jayaweera/Ranga Randunu

Mne’s Singles 45

Winner: Mahinda Jayaweera

Runner-up: W A Ruwankumara

Mixed Doubles 40

Winners: Jeffer Rosobin / Chandrika De Silva

Runners-up: Upendra Jayawardena / Priyanka Abeyrathna

Women’s Doubles 40 / 50

Winners: Priyanka Abeyrathna/ Umanga Rathnayake

Runners-up: Thushari Brahamanage / Sadamali Senanayake

Men’s Doubles 40

Winners: Randika Peiris / I.D Samaranayaka

Runners-up: Upendra Jayawardena / Sahan Pradeep

Men’s Singles 40

Winner: Subash Janaka

Runner-up: Conrad de Silva

Men’s Singles 35

Winner: Gihan Ranasinghe

Runner-up: Saseiharan Veerasingham

Girls Doubles U19

Winners: Panchali Adhikari / Manudi Mithara

Runners-up: ThisuniLiyanarachchi/SenujiUmagiliyage

Boys Doubles U19

Winners: Jason Homer / Savinaka Weerasekara

Runners-up: Chaniru Manmitha / Manuth Pelawatta

Girls Singles U19

Winner: Suhasni Vidanage

Runner-up: Ashini Fernando

Boys Singles U19

Winner: Siyath Senaratne

Runner-up: Thenuka de Silva

Girls Doubles U17

Winners: Maneesha Jayawardhana / Samindi Onel

Runner-up: Isuri de Alwis / Natasha Gunasekara

Boys Doubles U17

Winners: Aashinsa Herath / Saajid Majeed

Runners-up: Shenuk Samararatne / Pulina Wellalage

Girls Singles U17

Winner: Varangana Jayawardana

Runner-up: Pravina Wijesundara

Boys Singles U17

Winner: Sachen Fernando

Runners-up: Pulina Wellalage

Mixed Doubles

Winners: Thulith Palliyaguru / Buthmi Galagamage

Runners-up: Lochana de Silva / Raini Abeysingha

Women’s Doubles

Winners: Buthmi Galagamage / Nadeesha Gayanthi

Runner-up: Panchali Adhikari / Manudi Mithara

Men’s Doubles 30

Winners: Hasitha Chanaka / Rajitha Dahanayake

Runners-up: Roshan Kumara / Tony Wahydi

Men’s Doubles

Winners: Rasindu Hendahewa / Viren Nettasinghe

Runners-up: Resintha de Silva / Shamika de Silva

Women’s Singles 30

Winner: Ruvini Rathnasiri

Runner-up: Malathi Kumari

Women’s Singles

Winner: Panchali Adhikari

Runner-up: Ranithma Liyanage

Men’s Singles 30

Winner: Hasitha Chanaka

Runner-up: Roshan Kumara

Men’s Singles

Winner: Viren Nettasinghe

Runner-up: Dumindu Abeywickrama