Royal outsmart S. Thomas’ to regain the E.F.C. Pereira Challenge Trophy
View(s):The Royalists, playing with sharp strokes and covering every inch of the court, took the upper hand early in the Under-19 tie. In the opening Singles, Royal’s Ashmal Bilal was rock solid from the baseline, outplaying Thomian Chanakya Perera 9-4 to put the first point safely in Royal’s pocket.
The Royal College senior tennis team receiving the main trophy
Royal then doubled their lead in the first Doubles, where Chenul Wickramasinghe and Kavish Maddumage struck a fine balance of power and precision. They outhit the Thomian pair of Zaydaan Akbar and Abdul Baasith Cader 9-5, giving the hosts a commanding 2-0 cushion.
S. Thomas’ tried to claw their way back. In the second Singles, Aahil Kaleel of S. Thomas’ kept his nerve in the rallies to edge past Bhishman Balaratnarajah of Royal 9-6, trimming the deficit to 2-1. But Royal delivered the knockout shot in the second Doubles.
In a thriller that went down to the wire, Royalists Jamal Sabry and Naqeeb Hussain held serve in crunch moments and showed nerves of steel in the tie-breaker. They beat Thomian rivals Meneshka Ratnasingham and Kaavinda Wijemanne 9-8 (4), sealing the match 3-1 and sending the trophy back into Royal hands.
All age group teams of the champion Royal College side
The third Singles between Royal skipper Methvan Wijemanne and Sanija Kulatilaka of S. Thomas’ was not played as the result was already beyond doubt. In the junior ties, both schools displayed their bench strength. The Thomians swept the Under-13 encounter 3-0, while Royal struck back in style by blanking the Under-15 tie 3-0.
The Royalists’ campaign was guided by Head Coach Renouk Wijemanne, junior coach Ruwan Fernando and Head of Tennis Advisory Committee Somanath Fernando. Their efforts, backed strongly by teacher-in-charge Mrs. W.S. Vidanagama, drew wide praise from parents and players alike.
With this victory, Royal not only served notice of their dominance but also restored pride in this historic rivalry. After 20 encounters, Royal now lead the overall tally 15-5, keeping their grip firm on the E.F.C. Pereira Challenge Trophy.