Visakha’s rose buds in full bloom

 The Visakha Red Ball winning team: Front row from left-Sansa Tatyana, Gavini Gunawardena, Anuthi Ratnayake, Vithumsa Senaratne and Arreli de Alwis. Middle row from left-Oneli Shenaya, Shavithi Wijeratne, Ineshka Pahandi, Kemendi Ranaweera, Kiara Thamenegama. Back row from left-Wathsala Balasooriya (teacher in charge), Sujani Bogollagama (chief guest) and SP Prasanna (coach)

The Visakha Green Ball winning team: Front row from left-Naduli Kurukulasuriya, Janindi Kumarasinghe, Dinara Amarasinghe, Dinuli Thambavita and Arani Leelaratne. Middle row from left- Yuleesa Bandarigoda, Henneli Wijayakoon, Thishya Banagala, Nehali Jayasinghe, Shenudi Jayasinghe. Back row from left-Wathsala Balasooriya (teacher in charge), Iqbal bin Issack (president-Sri Lanka Tennis Association), SP Prasanna (coach)

 The Visakha Orange Ball winning team: Front row from left-Miraya de Alwis, Resandi Kariyawasam, Ayansa Basnayake, Tharinsa Fonseka, Chathuli Waidyaratne. Middle row-Theia Jayaweera, Methuli Silva, Linadi Akithya, Nethaya Siriwardena. Back row from left: Wathsala Balasooriya (teacher in charge), Pradeep Gunasekera (General Secretary-Sri Lanka Tennis Association), SP Prasanna (coach)

By Susil Premalal

Visakha Vidyalaya Colombo produced an outstanding all-round performance to emerge champions in the Red Ball, Orange Ball and Green Ball categories at the Sri Lanka Tennis Association’s (SLTA) Janaka Bogollagama Memorial Tennis All Island Inter-School Kids Play Day.

The budding players of Visakha were the cynosure of all eyes as they stole the limelight from among 215 teams and over a thousand hopefuls who showcased the tennis talents in the island in an event that unearthed grass-root development of the sport which was a lesson for all other sports.

In the girls’ Red Ball event final Visakha defeated Musaeus College 3–0 to clinch the title after beating Ladies College 3-0 in the semifinals. Museaus beat Maliyadeva Balika 3-0 in their semifinal.

If that was not enough the Visakhians in the Orange Ball segment put down an enterprising St. John’s Girls’ College, Panadura 3-1 to win the final. Visakha got the better of Ladies College 3-1 in the semifinals while the Johnian girls fought hard to beat the B team of Visakha 3-2 in their semifinal.

The Visakha girls had all the right in the world to put the icing on the cake with victory over Kalutara Balika Vidyalaya in the final of the Green Ball event after having another cakewalk 3-0 win over Museaus in the semifinal.

Kalutara Balika booked their place in the final by overcoming Ladies College 3-2 in their semifinal.