Asuncion leads cast in semifinals

Top seed Kennie Asuncion of the national team put away Manila Polo Club’s Alexis Katigbak with relative ease, 11-0, 11-2, yesterday and remained on course for the women’s open title in the JVC Open Badminton Championships.

Asuncion, playing out of Valle Verde, takes on teammate Margot Manalang, whose quarterfinals opponent, Melody Villaceran of the University of the East, did not show up at the Badminton Hall of the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.

Also advancing to the women’s open (elite) semifinals of the tournament sponsored by JVC Philippines in coordination with IMG Manila and backed by Spurway Enterprises, Bingo Bonanza Corp., Paraflex, Nike, Victor, Tokyo Tokyo and KLite 103.5 were fourth seed Alma Ledesma also of Valle Verde and Manila Polo Club’s Vanessa Tanco.

Ledesma booked an 11-2, 11-2 victory over Kathleen Añasco of the Philippine National Police (PNP) to reach the semifinals which will be played at the Activity Center of the Glorietta in Makati City.

Tanco, on the other hand, reached the Final Four following her 11-4, 11-7 triumph over Lyka Leonor also of PNP.

The men’s quarterfinals were played late afternoon yesterday.

Semifinal action in the veterans and youth (juniors under 16) will be played today at the Glorietta after the 12 noon opening ceremonies where Philippine Badminton Association (PBA) president Amelita "Ming" Ramos, Philippine Sports Commission chairman Carlos Tuason and Philippine Olympic Committee president Celso Dayrit are expected to grace the event.

Highlight of the opening ceremonies will be the clinic to be conducted by Indonesia’s Taufik Hidayat, the world No. 2 shuttlecocker, who arrived yesterday afternoon for the tournament.

Semifinals and finals action in the men’s and women’s open will be played tomorrow and Sunday, respectively. On Saturday, it will be the turn of at least 20 celebrities from the movie and television industry to show their badminton skills also at the Glorietta.