Upset wins send Frias, Junio to round of 16

Unseeded Wilson Frias and Jaime Junio produced the worthiest wins in the second day of action in the JVC Open Badminton Championships yesterday, bundling out joint fifth-ranked players in Wally Fernandez and Prospero Aguilar with contrasting victories at the PSC Badminton Hall at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila.

Frias, playing out of BCMI-FEU, outlasted Fernandez of Valle Verde in the deciding set of their thrilling duel to complete a 17-9, 9-15, 15-7 victory that gained him a berth in the round of 16 of the premier event of the annual championships sponsored by electronics giant JVC for the third straight year.

Junio, a member of the UP-PAF team, dominated Aguilar from start to finish and coasted to a 15-2, 15-5 victory in their own side of the duel in the lower bracket to join 14 others, led by the fancied duo of defending champion Ian Piencenaves and Kennevic Asuncion, into the next round.

The distaff side of the centerpiece event featuring the country’s top shuttlers likewise saw two lesser-lights come up with stunning reversals with UST’s Katheen Anasco pulling off an 11-6, 9-11, 11-4 victory over third ranked Aurora Co and Irene Chiu of Ateneo-Yonex blanking Sandy Banquiles, also seeded third here, 11-0, 11-0.

Those wins likewise sent Anasco and Chiu to the round of 16 of this event organized by IMG even as reigning back-to-back champion Kennie Asuncion advanced without lifting her racket with a walkover win over Ann Sy. Second seed Alma Ledesma also advanced with an 11-0, 11-1 rout of Lilibeth Gaydowen of St. Louis University.

Piencenaves, a Philippine Army bet and mentor of the UP badminton squad, dropped only four points in subduing Richardson Moldogo of Green Court Badminton Club, 15-0, 15-4, to arrange a last 16 clash with Ricky Bartolome, who disposed of Jonathan Uy, 15-7, 15-2.

Asuncion, on the other hand, braced for an expected title showdown with Piencenaves as he whipped Cordero Chester, 15-2, 15-3. The many-time spearhead of the national team to various international competitions faces University of San Jose-Recoletos bet Jan Mijares, who repulsed Juancho Pascual, 15-12, 15-8.

For other results and updates of the event, held under the auspices of the Philippine Badminton Association and backed by Pioneer Insurance, Gosen, Alaska Milk Corp., GenTxt, Tokyo Tokyo, Accel, Ayala Center, I-Ayala, Rudy Project, K-Lite 103.5 and the Philippine STAR, please log on to jvcopen.com.

Matches in the hotly-disputed corporate category are being played at presstime.

In the seniors category, the tandems of Salvador Banquiles-Renato Reyes and Danny Yan-Alex Ranola led the march of the seeded bets in the doubles event. Others who advanced to the quarterfinals were the pairs of O’Neill Tecson-Ricardo Alejo; Naresh Ramnani-Brandon Chan, John Aquino-Fernandez, Antonio Mance-Jessie Alonzo, Norberto Bayot-Gene Bobier and Angelo Pulido-Alex Bartolay.

Banquiles and Reyes swamped Manric Zalamea and Mark Mayo, 15-2, 15-8; Ranola-Yan repulsed Rey Lima and Hermes Alvar, 15-13, 15-13; Tecson and Alejo whitewashed Ferdie Solidum and Ronnie Lopez, 15-0, 15-0; Ramnani and Chan beat Botchoy Hain and Jun dela Cruz, 15-2, 15-5; Aquino and Fernandez trounced Glenn Punsalang and Vincent Mynt, 15-3, 15-3; Mance and Alonzo downed Joseph Rosales and Francis Salas, 15-4, 15-3; Bayot and Bobier prevailed over Eric Mendez and James Orros, 15-2, 15-1; Pulido and Barolay won over Mario Tomagan and Agerico Panopio, 15-3, 15-4.

In the ladies doubles, Jeanette Banquiles and Guinevere Chan outplayed Imelda Jorge and Elaine Lao, 15-3, 15-10; Julieta Kagalingan and Alberty Angeles whipped Agustina Bascos and Emerita Aguilar, 15-2, 15-0; Teresa Guevarra and Elvira Pascua dominated Edel Mercado and Robilyn Lumampao, 15-0, 15-1.