Matheesha and Lidiya crowned champs at Sri Lanka Badminton Novices in Ratnapura

Tuesday, 07 October 2025 05:10

Matheesha and Lidiya crowned champs at Sri Lanka Badminton Novices in Ratnapura

Matheesha Perera and Lidiya Fonseka were crowned champions at the Sri Lanka Badminton Novices Championship 2025 which concluded on Thursday at the Deshabandhu Lt. Col. W. Wimaladasa Indoor Stadium in Kuruwita, Ratnapura.

While Matheesha pocketed the Men’s Open Singles title, Lidiya was crowned the Women’s Open Singles champion, as she claimed a double after winning the Girl’s Under-17 Singles title.

Unseeded Matheesha easily overcame third seed Suresh in the Men’s Open Singles final, following a clean run up to the final.


He was initially troubled by Suresh in the first set, but Matheesha remained composed to claim the first set 21/14, and continued his form to record a 21/7 win in the second set to seal the Men’s Open Singles title.


Lidiya easily overcame Shehani Wijenayake in straight sets with scores of 21/8 and 21/10 to claim her double title at the SLB Novices Championship 2025, emerging as one of the top performers of the five-day event.


Subair Aathil teamed up with S.M. Imzan to beat Ashen Imalka and Adihtya Kalhara in straight sets to emerge Men’s Open Doubles champione, while Devindra Fernando paired up with Sandali Geekiyanage to overcome Omindu Bimsara and Sandumi Amaya in straight sets, in an otherwise exciting final to claim the Mixed Open Doubles title.

Nishadi Thenushika accounted for a double crown in the Under-19 category, winning the Girl’s Singles as well as the Girls’ Doubles titles, while Lafeer Ansaf recorded a straight win to overpower Yagama Gimhana in straight sets to win the Boy’s Singles title.


Despite losing the Singles final, Gimhana teamed up with Irun Shakya to record a straight win against Omira Dinsara and Tharuka Rajin, and claim the Boys’ U-19 Doubles title.


Nishadi beat Thashara Jayaratne in the Girl’s U-19 Singles in straight sets, and later teamed up with her opponent to record a comfortable straight win on their way to earn the Girls’ U-19 Doubles title.

While Women’s Open Singles winner Lidiya Fonseka earned her first title, beating Thesandi Dinuwari in the Girl’s Under-17 Singles final, Pubudu Melon claimed a double crown, winning the Boy’s Singles as well as the Doubles titles.


Pubudu beat Mohamed Basim in straight sets to claim the Boy’s U-17 Singles title, and teamed up with Duvindu Edirisinghe to outsmart Basim and Munas Asmal to claim the Boy’s U-17 Doubles title.

Udan Peiris overcame Binupa Ratnayake in straight sets to claim the Boy’s Under-15 Singles title while Sesadi Anujana bounced back from an early setback to thump Vinuthi Mendis 2-1 and claim the Girl’s U-15 Singles title.


Akram Ahamed and Lithum Fernando made a strong resistance before overcoming Sanira Mendis and Udan Peiris in straight sets to emerge Boys’ U-15 Doubles winners, while Isuli Rajapaksha and Siyansa Wickramasinghe thwarted the challenge possessed by Raini Gamage and Crystal Weerakkody on their way to become Girls’ U-15 Doubles champions.

Sashmitha Damsara beat Manul Fernando in straight sets to become the Boy’s Under-13 Singles champion, while Sanuthi Mahinsha enjoyed a similar outcome against Sithuli Samarasinghe to emerge the Girl’s Under-13 Singles champion.


In a close contest where the final went down to the wire, Sanithu Mahinsha and Siheli Siriwardhana prevailed over Manudi Rehansa and Benadi Weerakoon by 2-1 to emerge the Girls’ U-13 Doubles champions.


Ruwan Basitha and Denuka Karunaratne recorded a comfortable straight win against the Jayawickrama brothers, Senon and Thinon, to claim the Boys’ U-13 Doubles title.

The Sri Lanka Badminton Novices Championship 2025 was held simultaneously at three prominent indoor facilities in the Sabaragamuwa region -- the Deshabandhu Lt. Col. W. Wimaladasa Indoor Stadium in Kuruwita, the Sabaragamuwa Province Indoor Sports Complex and the Seevali College Indoor Stadium, both situated in Ratnapura.


The organisers, SLB, received the full support of by the Regional Development Committee and Sabaragamuwa Province Badminton to conduct the five-day event.

The competition, which began at all three venues with the preliminary round matches on September 28th, concluded with the finals of all age categories on October 2nd, followed by the awards ceremony.


The tournament was sponsored by Mobil, Sunquick and LiNing.


Results of all finals

Men’s Open Singles: Matheesha Perera beat Suresh Jayasooriya 2-0 (21/14, 21/7)

Women’s Open Singles: Lidiya Fonseka beat Shehani Wijenayake 2-0 (21/8, 21/10)

Men’s Open Doubles: Subair Aathil/S.M. Imzan beat Ashen Imalka/Adithya Kalhara 2-0 (21/14, 21/15)

Mixed Open Doubles: Devindra Fernando/Sandali Geekiyanage beat Omindu Bimsara/Sandumi Amaya 2-0 (21/18, 21/18)

Boy’s U-19 Singles: Lafeer Ansaf beat Yagama Gumhana 2-0 (21/12, 21/18)

Girl’s U-19 Singles: Nishadi Thenushika beat Thashara Jayaratne 2-0 (21/10, 21/9)

Boys’ U-19 Doubles: Yagama Gimhana/Irun Shakya beat Omira Dinsara/Tharuka Rajin 2-0 (21/11, 21/15)

Girls’ U-19 Doubles: Nishadi Thenushika/Thashara Jayaratne beat Dinugi de Silva/Sethumdi Wijegunawardena 2-0 (21/9, 21/9)

Boy’s U-17 Singles: Pubudu Melon beat Mohamed Basim 2-0 (21/17, 21/14)

Girl’s U-17 Singles: Lidiya Fonseka beat Thesandi Dinuwari 2-0 (21/16, 21/9)

Boys’ U-17 Doubles: Duvindu Edirisinghe/Pubudu Melon beat Munas Asmal/Mohamed Basim 2-0 (21/16, 21/8)

Boy’s U-15 Singles: Udan Peiris beat Binupa Ratnayake 2-0 (21/14, 21/13)

Girl’s U-15 Singles: Sesadi Anujana beat Vinuthi Mendis 2-1 (13/21, 21/7, 21/8)

Boys’ U-15 Doubles: Akram Ahamed/Lithum Fernando beat Sanira Mendis/Udan Peiris 2-0 (21/15, 21/18)

Girls’ U-15 Doubles: Isuli Rajapaksha/Siyansa Wickramasinghe beat Raini Gamage/Crystal Weerakkody 2-0 (21/14, 21/20)

Boy’s U-13 Singles: Sashmitha Damsara beat Manul Fernando 2-0 (15/8, 15/13)

Girl’s U-13 Singles: Sanuthi Mahinsha beat Sithuli Samarasinghe 2-0 (15/9, 15/13)

Boys’ U-13 Doubles: Ruwan Basitha/Denuka Karunaratne beat Senon Jayawickrama/Thinon Jayawickrama 2-0 (15/6, 15/9)

Girls’ U-13 Doubles: Sanithu Mahinsha/Siheli Siriwardhana beat Manudi Rehansa/Benadi Weerakoon 2-1 (15/8, 12/15, 15/11)

Last modified on Tuesday, 07 October 2025 05:18