S Thomas’ Prevail Over Royal In Tennis Tournament
- Tennis – Battle of the Blues E F C Pereira Trophy
S Thomas’ College prevailed over their arch rivals Royal in their annual ‘Battle of the Blues’ Tennis encounter to retain the E F C Pereira Trophy for the second successive year.
The tournament concluded last weekend after rain had forced the postponement of some of the games from the previous week.
The Thomians finally won through by 3 matches to 2 after two days of absorbing tennis played in the best traditions of the two schools. The trophy is named after EFC Pereira who had the distinction of having served on the staff of both schools and also being the master-in-charge of the tennis teams.
Royal drew first blood when the won the first match 9-3 with Eroo Samarasinghe overcoming Jerique Rajapakse. However, Thomiansstruck back almost immediately with an easy 9-1 win in the doubles game with Skipper Venuka Hulangamuwa and Sebastian Sansoni breezing past the Royal pair of Ashiru Liyanage & Murad Wafa.
The third match produced the most exciting fare of the tournament with the two vice captains – Avishka Perera of S Thomas’ and Royal’s Danushka Abeywardene – pitted against each other. It was Thomian Pererawho held his nerve to eke out a thrilling win 9-8 after the match had gone into a tie-break where Perera prevailed 7-3.
The Thomians were leading 2-1 when the rains prevented any further play and the authorities agreed to continue the tie on the following weekend. The Royal duo of Udistran Ravirajand Senith Abeynaikewere leading 6-2 over ThomiansAnarga Peirisand Amanda Gunawardenawhen the rains intervened.
When play resumed the next weekend, S Thomas’ were forced to concede a walkover in the half completed doubles match as a Thomian player had to go overseas on a previously arranged coaching stint.
This left the clash tied on 2-2 and both sides had everything to play for in the final match. Representing the Thomians in this crucial match was 13 year old Avindra Pererawho shouldered the entire burden of ensuring the Thomians defend their trophy. Perera playing with great determination and typical Thomian Grit prevailed 9-2, over his worthy opponent Umesh Sooriyabandara in the decider to set off jubilant celebrations amongst his colleagues.
RESULTS
Under-13 – Royal bt STC 3-2:
1st Singles: Kavisha Rathnayake (RC) bt Rusiru Fernando 7-4
1st Doubles: Manish de Silva & Ismail Azeez (RC) bt Kiren Ranatunga&Akil Ismail 7-0
2nd Singles: Akith Gunawardena (STC) bt Avika Kelegama 7-3
2nd Doubles: Anul Dheerasinghe & Thehan Wijemanne (RC) bt Viyan Fernando & Pratap Jayathilaka 7-1
3rd Singles: Senal de ALwis (STC) bt Janudha Jayasekera 7-5
Under-15 – STC bt Royal 3-2:
1st Singles: Tharin Munasinghe (RC) btSenal Hemakumara 9-0
1st Doubles: Mihindu Samarasinghe & Nadil Silva (RC) bt Vihan Herath & R. Ishrath 9-1
2nd Singles: Dulitha Ellawala (STC) bt Saumyan Kirubakaran 9-2
2nd Doubles: Eranga Goonawardena & Arvindran Rajendran (STC) bt Vikum Jayasuriya & Kalindu Abeynaike 9-3
3rd Singles: Yasitha Rathnayake (STC) bt PasinduSooriyabandara 9-7
Under-19 – STC beat RC 3-2:
1st Singles: ErooSamarasinghe (RC) bt Jerique Rajapaksa 9-3
1st Doubles: Venuka Hulangamuwa & Sebastian Sansoni (STC) bt Ashiru Liyanage & Murad Wafa 9-1
2nd Singles: Avishka Perera (STC) bt Dhanushka Abeywardane 9-8 (7-3)
2nd Doubles: Udistran Raviraj & Senith Abeynaike (RC) beat Anarga Peiris & Amanda Gunawardena 6-2 Walkover
3rd Singles: Avindra Perera (STC) beat Umesh Sooriyabandara 9-2
