The Sri Lanka wheelchair tennis team, comprising Upali Rajakaruna, D. M. Gamini and A.B. Alagoda, will take part in the forthcoming Malaysian and Thailand Open wheelchair tennis tournaments early next year, the Sri Lanka Tennis Association (SLTA) said on November 11 (Wednesday).

The Malaysian Open will be held from November 20-22 and the tournament in Thailand is to be staged from 25-27 of this instance.

Both Rajakaruna and Gamini represent Sri Lanka Army while Alagoda is from the Navy. He is representing Sri Lanka for the first time in an international open tournament.

‘Raja’ and Gamini are expected to be included in the Main Draw of each tournament, which will enable them to increase their International Tennis Federation (ITF) wheelchair tennis ranking points. Higher ITF ranks will put them in a more advantageous position in the all-important World Team Cup, to be held in Turkey next May. Rajakaruna holds an ITF world rank of 206. Alagoda meanwhile will feature in the Second Draw in both Malaysia and Thailand.

Sri Lanka’s wheelchair tennis coach is Jagath Welikala and the Manager for the two forthcoming tournaments will be Vipul Perera, the Secretary of the SLTA’s Wheelchair Tennis Committee which is headed by Lt. Col. Shiran Abeysekera.

The Sri Lanka team is scheduled to leave for Malaysia on 19 November and they will return to Sri Lanka on 29 November.