More than a thousand badminton players are expected to take part in the All Island 'Summer Season' Open Badminton Championship that is scheduled to be held from April 20 to 27 at the Nuwara Eliya Municipal Indoor Stadium.
This will be a major event in the badminton calendar and already 1159 entries have been received for the event organised by the Central Province Badminton Association and Nuwara Eliya District Badminton Association.
According to the draw 1117 matches from 39 sections will be conducted in this eight day tournament.
The tournament will be more competitive with several leading shuttlers already having confirmed their participation. The national runner-up Rasindu Hendahewa, national doubles champion Buwaneka Gunatilleka and national pool players Viren Nettasinghe, Chamath Dias, Ranthushka Sasindu who was the former National runner-up and Dumindu Abeywickrama are in the men's category.
Women's top ranked player Ashini Fernando, 2019 national champion Dilmi Dias, former national champion the experienced Chandrika de Silva and promising players Chamudi Abeywickrama, Kavindi de Silva and Jananuwani Amanda are the key players in the women's category.
Sri Lanka Badminton has already and successfully conducted the National Badminton Championship and the recently concluded Mercantile inter-firm tournament that offered the much needed exposure for the players.