Annaya, Gehansa reach Under-18 girls singles final

Annaya Norbert and Gehansa Methnadhi advanced to the Under-18 girls singles final of the Tennis Nationals after securing victories in their respective semi-finals on Thursday. Annaya triumphed over Sandithi Usgodaarach in a tightly contested first set before asserting her dominance to clinch a 7-6, 6-3 win. The first set was extremely close, with Norbert displaying remarkable composure when it mattered most.

She then capitalized on her momentum in the second set to secure her spot in the championship decider. In contrast, Gehansa Methnadhi faced Akeesha Silva in a grueling three-set battle, emerging victorious with a score of 6-1, 5-7, 6-1. Methnadhi made an impressive start by dominating the opening set before Silva rallied to win the second set 7-5.

Methnadhi responded strongly in the final set, showcasing her composure to close out the match 6-1 and secure her place in the final. Meanwhile, in the boys' Under-14 singles, Revan Amarasinghe and Chirath Subasinghe from S. Thomas’ College and St. Peter’s College respectively earned their spots in the finals. Navya Banagala from Visakha Vidyalaya and Jennifer Mercy from St. Joseph’s Balika Vidyalaya also advanced to the girls' final.

The Sri Lanka Nationals, the country's premier domestic tennis championship, is taking place at the Sri Lanka Tennis Association courts in Colombo. The junior program features Under-12, Under-14, Under-16, and Under-18 categories. Subasinghe had to overcome Akil Perera in the boys' semi-final, before securing a three-set victory.

After dropping the first set 3-6, Subasinghe fought back impressively to win the second set 6-3 and clinch the match with a 6-2 win in the deciding set. Amarasinghe also delivered a convincing performance, defeating Jathya Thalammera 6-1, 6-3 to secure his place in the championship decider. The boys' Under-14 final will see Amarasinghe go head-to-head with Subasinghe for the national title.

In the girls' Under-14 semi-finals, Banagala displayed her dominance with a straight-set 6-2, 6-2 victory over Risindi Hewawasam. Jennifer Mercy was equally impressive, overcoming Sheshandri Fernando 6-2, 6-1. The girls' final will bring together Banagala and Jennifer, who both reached the final without dropping a set in the semi-final stage, setting the stage for an exciting contest between two top performers.

With both finals featuring the leading players from the junior field, the Under-14 singles title fights are poised to be a fitting conclusion to another competitive day at the Nationals.