President of SLTA Iqbal Bin Issack said that men’s tennis player Sharmal Dissanayake was not dropped from the Sri Lanka team and instead opted out on his own accord.
“He was not dropped from the team or pool for the Davis Cup 2023. In fact he was invited to the Pool but he withdrew on his own stating in an email”, said Issack.
Issack said the email read: “This is to inform you that I will not be able to participate in the upcoming trials process. I would like to give the opportunity to young and upcoming players to take part in the Davis Cup. Sorry for any inconvenience if any and thank you for the opportunity”
Issack also said that Dissanayake was not the number one player but ranked sixth at the time of Selection and was not in the top five of the Singles rankings for over three years and had not won a singles title for over three years apart from the SSC Open.
According to Issack, Dissanayake has played in only three tournaments during the past three years, winning one and losing to Ashen Silva (member of current team) in two straight sets at the Nationals and conceding a walk-over to T. Dineshkanthan in the other tournament.
Issack also said that Chathurya Nilaweera, Ashen Silva and Thehan Wijemanne have ATP World rankings while Dissanayake has no ATP or ITF points and no world ranking.
He further said that Dissanayake has not been number one for over three years and was not seeded number one in any tournament during this period and played in only three tournaments during the past three years, winning one and losing to Ashen Silva in two straight sets at the Nationals and conceding a walk over to T. Dineshkanthan in the other tournament while also losing to Ashen Silva and Yasitha de Silva after his defeats against Godamanne.
Issack also said that Arjun Fernando is not the Chairman or a member of the Selection Committee.
However, a family spokesperson for Dissanayake told the Sunday Observer they will not accept any explanation given by SLTA over the omission of the player from the Sri Lanka team. The Sunday Observer learns that in Davis Cup ties for the past several years Sri Lanka has never lost to Malaysia and this year marked the first time that Sri Lanka lost to them.
This goes to show that the standard of tennis in the island has not improved as Sri Lanka relied heavily on Harshana Godamanna for many years with none groomed to take over from him currently.
Dissanayake may not be the top player but according to some experts he can still fit the bill having beaten all the players who were selected this time for the Davis Cup.
He had also received a world ranking by ITF of 208 in the under-18 age group but presently does not have a world ranking.