Viren and Ranithma defend Open titles at 73rd National Badminton Championship 2025

Open Singles champs Viren Nettasinghe and Ranithma Liyanage defended their titles with ease

Open Singles winners Viren Nettasinghe (5th from left) and Ranithma Liyanage (4th from left) with other winners and officials of Sri Lanka Badminton 

Title holders Viren Nettasinghe and Ranithma Liyanage made a fitting end to their campaigns of the 2025 season by defending the Men’s and Women’s Open Singles titles, joined by Varangana Jayawardana and Rashmi Mudalige, who defended the Women’s Open Doubles title at the 73rd National Badminton Championship 2025, which concluded at the S. Thomas’ College Indoor Sports Complex in Mount Lavinia on Wednesday (24). 

Three titles – the Men’s Open Singles, Women’s Open Singles and Women’s Open Doubles – were up in the guard as respective title holders, Olympian Viren Nettasinghe, Ranithma Liyanage and doubles pair Varangana Jayawardana and Rashmi Mudalige were defending their titles earned from last year’s nationals. They defended so fittingly, at the 73rd edition of the Badminton Nationals organised and conducted by Sri Lanka Badminton (SLB), held at Mount Lavinia for eight consecutive days, the participation of top ranked and leading shuttlers of the country.

Nettasinghe entered the fray of defending his crown with a strategy, as he clinically overcame each of his opponents from the Round of 32, all in straight sets, to reach the final. The country’s top Men’s Singles shuttler continued his form against Rasindu Hendahewa in the Men’s Open Singles final, to end his final bout for the year, again in straight sets to defend the title. Viren defeated Rasindu by 21/10 and 21/14 to win his second national title in style. 

Ranithma Liyanage aptly defended her Women’s Open Singles title by recording a comfortable straight win against Rashmi Mudalige in an absorbing final that lasted nearly 45 minutes. Though the title decider stretched way longer than anticipated, Liyanage managed to seal the victory by recording set wins of 21/12 and 21/18 to claim the national title for the second year running. 

Fourth seed pair Sanuda Ariyasinghe and Thisath Rupathunga created an upset by toppling top seeds Oshamika Karunarathne and Thulith Palliyaguru in a lengthy final that went down to the wire in the Men’s Open Doubles final. Sanuda and Thisath won the first set 21/15, but the top seed pair bounced back to level the game 1-all with a 21/18 win. But the gritty pair of Sanuda and Thisath maintained their composure to overcome the favourites 21/15 in the decider and claim the Men’s Open Doubles title. 

Varangana Jayawardana and Rashmi Mudalige completed a successful campaign to defend the Women’s Open Doubles title from last year, this time overcoming the aspiring pair of Dilni Ambalangodage and Ranumi Manage in straight sets. Varangana and Rashmi remained unbeaten throughout, as they ended the unblemished run of Dilni and Ranumi with set wins of 21/13 and 21/18 to win the Women’s Open Doubles title for the second year running. 

The Mixed Open Doubles title was claimed by the pairing of Thulith Palliyaguru and Panchali Adhikari, who battled for 45 minutes to overcome Aashinsa Herath and Rashmi Mudalige 2-1 in the final. After conceding the first set by 12/21, Thulith and Panchali regrouped to claim the following two sets by 21/18 and 21/15. On their way to win the title. 

Keneth Aruggoda and Nethmi Ratnayake claimed the Boy’s and Girl’s Singles titles respectively in the Under-19 category, while Thenul Ganewatte and Nethil Thewmika accounted for the Boys’ Doubles title. Dilni Ambalangodage and Ranumi Manage emerged winners of the Girls’ Under-19 Doubles title, overcoming Thiseja Herath and Komuthu Kumarapperuma in straight sets, while Thenul and Nethil were given a tough outing by Pamith Attanayake and Thidasa Irushika before conceding the Boys’ Under-19 Doubles title. Keneth overcame Hiruka Sahanmith in straight sets to claim the Boy’s Singles title, while Nethmi recorded a similar victory against Senudi Amarasinghe in the Girl’s Singles final. 

Senuth Perera and Dulanya Karunarathna emerged victorious in the Under-17 finals, accounting for the Boy’s Singles and Girl’s Singles titles, as Amavan Amarasinghe and Chenaal Dewshan recorded a straight win to claim the Boy’s Doubles title. Isuri Attanayake and Sithumi de Silva won the Girls’ Under-17 oubles title with ease. 

Thamindu Fernando earned a double crown in the Under-15 category, winning the Boy’s Singles title against Yasiru Jayawardana and partnering with Senuda Rajapaksa to claim the Boys’ Double title to end the year on a high note. Nithini Sasandhi beat Manuli Methara on her way to claim the Girl’s Under-15Singles title, while Sayuni Kulasuriya and Limandi Padma Bandara teamed up to beat Miyesi Nethara and Nisheli Samararatne 2-1 and claim the Girls’ Under-15 Doubles title. 

Hansaka Rashminda and Kiendra de Almeida won the Under-13 Boy’s and Girl’s Singles titles in contrasting fashion, while Rajai Atheeb and Vidas Samarakoon prevailed to claim the Boys’ Doubles title in a closely contested final. Charithsa Amarasinghe and Githara de Silva paired up to win the Girls’ Under-13 Doubles title. 

Yenul Rathnayake won a double crown in the Under-11 category, claiming the Boy’s Singles title, after accounting for the Boys’ Doubles title pairing up with Shon Silva. Sasindi Abeysinghe had a tough outing against Siheli Jayasundara on her way to claim the Girl’s Under-11 Singles title, while Siheli made amendments in return to pair up with Janandi Amaya to win the Girls’ Under-11 Doubles title. 

Organised and conducted by Sri Lanka Badminton (SLB), the country’s core domestic badminton event will take place at Mount Lavinia for seven consecutive days, with an expected high participation of top ranked and leading shuttlers of the country, who will compete in different categories.

The 73rd edition of the National Badminton Championship attracted a total of 1525 entries, making the 2025 version a history-making event. Sri Lanka Badminton officials were overwhelmed by the enthusiasm among local shuttlers as the number of entries this year exceeded last year’s total count of 1254, a clear progress from 2023 edition’s tally of 1140. Mr. Rohan de Silva, the Managing Director of McLarens Holdings, graced the awards ceremony as the Chief Guest at the country’s elite domestic badminton event, conducted in accordance to BWF regulations and sponsored by McFoil, Mobil, Li Ning, 3M, and GAC.

Results of all finals:

Men’s Open Singles: Viren Nettasinghe beat Rasindu Hendahewa 2-0 (21/10, 21/14)

Women’s Open Singles: Ranithma Lyanage beat Rashmi Mudalige 2-0 (21/12, 21/18)

Men’s Open Doubles: Sanuda Ariyasinghe/Thisath Rupathunga beat Oshamika Karunarathne/Thulith Palliyaguru 2-1 (21/15, 18/21, 21/15)

Women’s Open Doubles: Varangana Jayawardana/Rashmi Mudalige beat Dilni Ambalangodage/Ranumi Manage 2-0 (21/13, 21/18)

Mixed Open Doubles: Thulith Palliyaguru/Panchali Adhikari beat Aashinsa Herath/Rashmi Mudalige 2-1 (12/21, 21/18, 21/15)

Boy’s U-19 Singles: Keneth Aruggoda beat Hiruka Sahanmith 2-0 (21/19, 21/15)

Girl’s U-19 Singles: Nethmi Ratnayake beat Senudi Amarasinghe 2-0 (21/7, 21/9)

Boys’ U-19 Doubles: Thenul Ganewatta/Nethil Thewmika beat Pamith Attanayake/Thidasa Irushika 2-1 (21/18, 16/21, 22/20)

Girls’ U-19 Doubles: Dilni Ambalangodage/Ranumi Manage beat Thiseja Herath/Komuthu Kumarapperuma 2-0 (21/17, 21/16)

Boy’s U-17 Singles: Senuth Perera beat Pamudu Randiligama 2-1 (21/13, 17/21, 21/12)

Girl’s U-17 Singles: Dulanya Karunarathna beat Thenuki de Silva 2-0 (21/12, 21/14)

Boys’ U-17 Doubles: Amavan Amarasinghe/Chenaal Dewshan beat Samiru Ranasinghe/{amudu Randiligama 2-0 (21/17, 21/19)

Girls’ U-17 Doubles: Isuri Attanayake/Sithumi de Silva beat Vinuthi Ranasinghe/Yenara Wickramasinghe 2-0 (21/14, 21/10)

Boy’s U-15 Singles: Thamindu Fernando beat Yasiru Jayawardana 2-0 (21/13, 21/18)

Girl’s U-15 Singles: Nithini Sasandhi beat Manuli Methara 2-0 (21/12, 21/11)

Boys’ U-15 Doubles: Thamindu Fernando/Senuda Rajapaksa beat Udan Abinindu/Dasindu Peiris 2-0 (21/10, 21/18)

Girls’ U-15 Doubles: Sayuni Kulasuriya/Limandi Padma Bandara beat Miyesi Nethara/Nisheli Samararatne 2-1 (21/11, 20/22, 21/15)

Boy’s U-13 Singles: Hansaka Rashminda beat Kaveeshwara Jayawardana 2-0 (15/9, 15/7)

Girl’s U-13 Singles: Kiandra de Almeida beat Ishma Ishak 2-1 (13/15, 15/10, 15/7)

Boys’ U-13 Doubles: Rajai Atheeb/Vidas Samarakoon beat Lithum Vidusitha/Pravista Weerasinghe 2-1 (15/10, 8/15, 17/15)

Girls’ U-13 Doubles: Charithsa Amarasinghe/Githara de Silva beat Minma Paranavithana/Sanuthmi Sooriyabandara 2-0 (15/9, 15/10)

Boy’s U-11 Singles: Yenul Rathnayake beat Senuth Damsara 2-0 15/13, 15/8)

Girl’s U-11 Singles: Sasindi Abeysinghe beat Siheli Jayasundara 2-1 (15/10, 8/15, 15/7)

Boys’ U-11 Doubles: Yenul Rathnayake/Shon Silva beat Senuth Damsara/Fabian Mendis 2-0 (15/13, 15/7)

Girls’ U-11 Doubles: Janandi Amaya/Siheli Jayasundara beat Dinuli Sendanayake/Belinda Sirisena 2-1 (15/11, 11/15, 15/8)