(UTV|COLOMBO) – Dumidu Abeywickrema the unseeded player from Royal College Colombo created a major upset when he defeated bottom seed Viren Nettasinghe from St Peter’s College Bambalapitiya to enter the men’s open semi-final of the inaugural Defenders Open Badminton Championships which is now in progress at the Panagoda Indoor Stadium.
Abeywickrama, a 16-year-old promising shuttler outclassed Nettasinghe in straight sets 21/5, 21/17 to qualify for the semi-finals scheduled to play today. Meanwhile top seed Dinuka Karunaratne had a tough fight against Ranthushka Sasindu to enter the semi finals. Sasindu made good to win the first set off the national champion 21/19, but Karunaratne used his experience to win the second set 21/15. However Sasindu did not give in easily but made Karunaratne sweat before winning the decisive set 24/22 to enter the semi-finals.
Buwanaka Gunathilleka scored an easy two sets win over Maduka Dulanjana and Hasitha Chanaka from Sampath Bank also won similarly against Chamika Jayasekara from Richmond College to enter the semi-finals. Karunaratne will meet Gunathilleka and young Abeywickrama will battle it out with Hasitha Chanaka in the semi-finals today.
Meanwhile Dilmi Dias, Nadesha Gayanthi, Thilini Hendahewa and Hasara Wijeratna won their respective matches to enter the open women’s singles semi-finals which is scheduled for today.
In addition the boys and girls under 17, 19 and open mixed doubles quarterfinals and semi-finals will be played today . The finals will be played tomorrow (9th ) at the Panagoda newly built Indoor Stadium. Sri Lanka Army Badminton Committee together with the Sri Lankan Badminton Association have organised this inaugural tournament which is also a ranking one tournament of the new badminton calendar.
Results (Quarter finals)
Open men’s singles: Dinuka Karunaratne bt Ranthushka Sasindu 19/21, 21/15,24/22, Buwaneka Gunatilleka bt Maduka Dulanjana 21/11, 21/8, Hasitha Chanaka bt Chamika Jayasekara 21/15, 21/18, Dumidu Abeywickrma bt Viren Nettasinghe 21/15, 21/17
Open women’s singles: Dilmi Dias bt Suhansi Vidhanage 21/10, 21/9, Nedeesha Gayanthi bt Sasini Kumarapeliarachchi 21/19, 21/16, Thilini Hendahewa bt Anurangi Masakorala 21/9, 21/16, Hasara Wijeratna bt Thisuri Gihara Pieris 21/6, 21/9
Courtesy: DN
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