Sri Lanka’s top seed Men’s Single shuttler Viren Nettasinghe crashed out from the HUNDRED Sri Lanka
International Challenge 2025after losing the crucial semi-final clash against Malaysia’s Sholeh Aidil at
the St. Joseph’s College Indoor Complex in Darley Road, Colombo on Saturday. Viren, who thus far
maintained an unbeaten run in the Men’s Singles, was outsmarted by the top ranked Malaysian, who
recorded a straight win in the first of the Men’s Singles semi-finals.
Despite of the defeat Sri Lanka is assured of a bronze medal after Viren was defeated by Aidil 21/16 and
21/18, as the HUNDRED Sri Lanka International Challenge 2025 comes to an end on Sunday. On Friday,
Viren toppled Kai Cheng of Chinese Taipei in the quarter-final clash, after conceding the first set
following a close battle. Viren, who lost the first set 21/16, retrieved his briefly shackled momentum, to
claim the following two sets by 21/7 and 21/13 to reach the semi-finals.
On Thursday, Viren faced a strong opponent in Malaysia’s Zhen Yi Ong, as the Sri Lankan held his
nerves to secure a 2-1 win in the Round of 16. After winning the first set 21/19, Viren defeated by Ong,
who levelled the game by claiming the second set 21/18, but the Sri Lankan made a powerful comeback
to claim the third set 21/13. This was after he recorded an inspiring straight win against Naren Iyer of
India in straight sets 21/15 and 21/10 in the Round of 32 stage the same day. Earlier in the Round of 64,
Viren had a shaky start against unseeded Henrikho Kho of Indonesia, but bounced back to record a
thrilling 2-1 on Wednesday.
Following the HUNDRED Sri Lanka International Challenge 2025, where a total prize money of USD
17,500 is on offer, Sri Lanka Badminton (SLB) will proceed with its second global competition – the
HUNDRED Sri Lanka International Series 2025 at the same venue. The Badminton World Federation
(BWF) and Badminton Asia (BA) sanctioned six-day tournament will set off on March 3rd and will
culminate on March 8th.
The organisers, SLB, will host nearly 260 players from 16 nations, including Sri Lanka, with India
fielding the most shuttlers, numbering 74. Sri Lanka will surely take the advantage of playing hosts while
entering 63 shuttlers, to seek more chances of winning medals, and partly to give budding players the
international exposure at a tournament of this magnitude. A total prize money of USD 5,000 will be on
offer at the HUNDRED Sri Lanka International Series 2025 which is sponsored by HUNDRED, Mobil,
McFoil, 3M and Rovin.
Semi-final Results:
Men’s Singles: Pranay Katta (Ind) beat Prahdiska Shujiwo (Indo) 2-0 (21/14, 21/10); Sholeh Aidil (Mas)
beat Viren Nettasinghe (Sri) 2-0 (21/16, 21/18)
Women’s Singles: Manami Suizu (Jpn) beat Lalinrat Chaiwan (Thai) 2-0 (21/14, 21/18); Adita Rao (Ind)
beat Shreya Lele (Ind) 2-0 (21/17, 21/16)
Men’s Doubles: Chia Yen Lin/Yong Sheng Lin (CT) beat Pharanyu Kaosamaang/Tanadon Punpanich
(Thai) 2-1 (15/21, 22/20, 21/16); Raymond Indra/ Nikolaus Joaquin (Indo) beat Xin Yuan Boon/Yi Bo
Lee (Mas) 2-0 (21/17, 21/16)
Women’s Doubles: Tidapron Kleebyeesun/Nattamon Laisuan (Thai) beat Velisha Christina/Lanny
Mayasari (Indo) 2-0 (24/22, 21/19); Hina Osawa/Akari Sato (Jpn) beat Isyana Meida/Rinjani Nastine
(Indo) 2-0 (21/19, 21/8)
Mixed Doubles: Yuta Watanabe/Maya Taguchi (Jpn) beat Raymond Indra/Rinjani Nastine (Indo) 2-0
(21/10, 21/16); Bobby Setiabudi/Melati Oktavianti (Indo) beat Nikolaus Joaquin/Siti Azzahra (Indo) 2-0
(21/16, 21/12)
Be the first to comment