Alden Lefilson Mainaky of Indonesia and Sri Lankan star Ranithma Liyanage clinched the Singles titles at the inaugural Southern Province Open Badminton Championship 2024 at the Indoor Badminton Courts in Dadella, Galle.
Mainaky, currently ranked 805 in the world, easily overcame Sri Lankan top shuttler Thilina Rajakaruna in the Men’s Open Singles in straight sets – 21/12 and 21/11 after easily overcoming local shuttlers Vishmitha Kaluarachchi, Madhuka Dulanjana and Shenuk Samararatne from the Round of 32 on his way to the final.
Rajakaruna, who received a bye in the Round of 32, bounced back to beat Hasitha Ratnayake 2-1 in the Round of 16 with scores of 19/21, 21/16 and 21/15 before overpowering Yasas Weerakoon and Thidasa Irushika, 2-1 on both occasions, before succumbing to Mainaky in straight sets in the Men’s Singles final. Liyanage enjoyed a resounding campaign as she easily toppled all her opponents in the Women’s Singles beginning from the Round of 16. She defeated Thisuri Gunawardena 2-1 in the Round of 16, and thrashed Sanadi Dahamsa 21/6 and 21/1 in the quarter-finals, before overcoming Sithuki Abeysirigunasekara 21/.8 and 21/11 in the semi-final. Liyanage then went on to repeat the same success in the final, overpowering Varangana Jayawardena 21/6 and 21/9 to annex the Women’s Singles title.
Ashingsa Herath and Alden Lefilson paired up to clinch the Men’s Doubles title, beating the pair of Madhuka Dulanjana and Lahiru Madushan Weerasinghe in the final with scores of 21/19 and 22/20 in a game that had all thrills and spills. The Women’s Doubles title went to the pair of Anurangi Hansamali Maskorale and Vidara Suhasni Vidanage, who overcame the dazzling pair of Rashmi Bhagya and Varangana Jayawardena 2-1. After losing the first set 13/21, the Women’s Double winners went on to claim the two remaining sets by 21/12 and 21/16 to emerge champions.
A similar excitement followed in the Mixed Doubles as Ranithma Liyanage and Alan Darmasaputra Kristanto were overpowered by Alden Lefilson Mainaky and Renu Chandrika 2-1 (21/16, 14/21, 21/17) in the final that spanned for more than 40 minutes.
Thilina Rajakaruna suffered a double blow in the Boy’s Under-19 Singles final when Shenuk Samararatne surprised the in-form shuttler 2-1 (25/23, 19/21, 21/13) and walked away as champion in an exciting final. Ranithma Liyanage, earned a double crown, winning the Girl’s Under-19 Singles title after defeating Sithuki Onadi Abeygunawardene in the final. Liyanage won the Singles titles in the Under-19 and Women’s Open and became the most successful shuttler at the Southern Province Open Badminton Championship 2024, which was held under the observation of Sri Lanka Badminton.
The Southern Province Open Badminton Championship 2024 had many events under Open, Junior and Senior categories and had the sponsorship strength from McFoil, Mobil, GAC, Li Ning and 3M as financial partners.