For Middlebury men's tennis student-athlete Thehan Wijemanne '27, representing Sri Lanka in the Davis Cup is more than another tournament. It is a chance to take the lessons learned in Vermont and put them into action for his home country.

Wijemanne, a left-hander from Colombo, has become a fixture on Sri Lanka's national team since making his Davis Cup debut at the age of 16 in 2020. He has played a role in multiple promotion campaigns, helping elevate the country from Group IV to Group III.

This summer, the Panther returned home, bringing with him the experience of competing at one of Division III's premier collegiate programs. Wijemanne has garnered numerous accolades, including ITA All-American and first-team All-NESCAC honors in doubles while helping the navy and white claim the 2025 conference championship.

His impact was immediate in Sri Lanka's 2026 campaign. In the opening match against Qatar, Sri Lanka dropped the first singles match before Wijemanne rallied to defeat Mossa Alharrasi 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, keeping his country alive and securing the tie.

"The matches against Qatar and Kuwait were particularly meaningful to me," said Wijemanne. "I had a difficult start against Qatar but managed to turn the match around and find a way to win. The triumph over Kuwait in the semifinal against a top-ranked opponent was another important moment for us. Qualifying for Group III next year after winning the Division IV group is a fantastic achievement for Sri Lankan tennis. I'm grateful to my teammates, coaches and everyone who has supported us along the way."

Wijemanne teamed with Saha Kapilasena to win decisive doubles matches, including a victory over the Northern Mariana Islands that helped Sri Lanka finish its group campaign unbeaten.

"It was thrilling to follow Thehan and Sri Lanka's Davis Cup success this summer," stated Middlebury men's tennis coach Andrew Thomson '10. "During his collegiate career, we have seen Thehan grow into a fierce and determined, yet calm and collected player when it matters. It came as no surprise to see Thehan win an epic three-set match and secure another victory over a highly-ranked opponent! Witnessing his Davis Cup teammates pour water on him to celebrate the team win was more than well deserved. Through Thehan, Middlebury tennis will always be closely connected to Sri Lanka!"

The Davis Cup offers Wijemanne something college tennis cannot: the opportunity to compete not only for himself or his team, but for an entire nation. 

"Representing Sri Lanka at the Davis Cup has been one of the proudest moments of my tennis journey," said Wijemanne. "Finishing the campaign unbeaten and contributing to the team's success is something for which I'm deeply grateful. I hope this is just the beginning, and that we can continue to build on this momentum and put Sri Lankan tennis firmly on the global stage."