Matheesha and Lidiya Shine at  Badminton Novices Championship

(By Susil Premalal)

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

Matheesha claimed the Men’s Open Singles title, while Lidiya achieved a double triumph, winning both the Women’s Open Singles and the Girls’ Under-17 Singles titles.

Unseeded Matheesha produced an impressive run, overcoming third seed Suresh in the Men’s Open Singles final. Despite some early pressure in the first set, Matheesha displayed remarkable composure to win 21-14, 21-7, sealing the title with authority.

Lidiya Fonseka also dominated the Women’s Open Singles final, defeating Shehani Wijenayake 21-8 and 21-10, emerging as one of the standout performers of the five-day championship.

In the doubles events, Subair Aathil and S.M. Imzan won the Men’s Open Doubles title, while Devindra Fernando and Sandali Geekiyanage claimed the Mixed Open Doubles crown in straight-set victories.

Nishadi Thenushika secured a double in the Under-19 category, winning both the Girls’ Singles and Doubles, while Lafeer Ansaf triumphed in the Boys’ Singles, with Yagama Gimhana partnering Irun Shakya to capture the Boys’ U-19 Doubles title.

Among the Under-17 categories, Pubudu Melon recorded a double win in the Boys’ Singles and Doubles events, while Lidiya Fonseka added her first title in the Girls’ Under-17 Singles. 

In the Under-15 competitions, Udan Peiris and Sesadi Anujana claimed the Boys’ and Girls’ Singles crowns respectively, with doubles titles going to Akram Ahamed/Lithum Fernando and Isuli Rajapaksha/Siyansa Wickramasinghe.

The Under-13 champions included Sashmitha Damsara and Sanuthi Mahinsha in the Singles, with the Doubles titles claimed by Sanithi Mahinsha/Siheli Siriwardhana (Girls) and Ruwan Basitha/Denuka Karunaratne (Boys), highlighting a strong pool of emerging young talent in the island’s badminton scene.