Savinaka, Ranithma win MSBA shuttle titles

By Susil Premalal   
Savinaka Weerasekera and Ranithma Liyanage won the Men’s and Women’s Open Singles titles at the Mercantile Open Badminton Championship, held at the Sri Lanka Badminton (SLB) and Lumbini College Indoor Courts in Colombo.  
The event was organised by the Mercantile Badminton Association (MSBA) under the auspices of SLB.  
Liyanage claimed a double by winning the Mixed Open Doubles title partnered with Alan Dharmasaputra.  
Weerasekera defeated Lochana de Silva 21-17, 8-21, 21-14 in the Men’s Open Singles final while Liyanage defeated Warangana Jayawardene 21-12, 21-14 to win the Women’s Singles title.  

Oshamika Karunaratne and Tulith Palliaguru won the Men’s Open Doubles title by defeating Dinuru Priyashantha and Siyath Senaratne in a thrilling three-setter 21-17, 18-21 and 21-17 while Anurangi Maskorala and Vidara Vidanage won the Women’s Open Doubles title by defeating Rashmi Bhagya and Warangana 21-19 and 21-18.  
In the Open Mixed Doubles final, Marcelo Vittorio and Praveena Jayasundara lost to Ranithma and Dharmasaputra 21-15, 21-14.  
In the Under-19 Boys’ Singles final, Shenuk Samararatne won the title by defeating Thilina Rajakaruna 21-19, 21-10 while the Girls’ Singles title in the same age group was won by Amantha Thathsarani who defeated Rukshika Baskaran 21-16, 20-22, 21-16 in the final.  
The Boys’ Doubles title in the same age group was won by Rithira Abeygunawardena and Thenul Ganewatta, defeating Sanjula Handapangodage and Shenuk Samararatne 21-16, 8-21, 21-19 in another thriller.