The top seeded Velez and Paredes flexed just enough muscle to fashion out 15-4, 15-7 victory and advance to the next round of the event put up by electronics giant JVC in its continuing search for talents in one of the most popular sports in the country today.
San Juan’s Clarence Ang and Yno Galvez of Pasig City, on the other hand, rallied from a set down to turn back the Roden Rivera-Edgar de Jesus tandem from Bulacan, 10-15, 15-9, 15-13, in a thrilling duel in the boys’ side of the doubles.
Joining the Ang-Galvez pair into the final eight were the top-ranked Patrique and Peter Magnaye; Honesto Buendia and Jose Gomez; Glen Pantanilla and Miguel Balasbas; Gerard Certeza and Alfonso Hidalgo; Ramon Guerrero and Raymond Alonzo; and Paul Vivas and Randolph Balatbat.
Also gaining berths into the last eight of the girls side is the Anvil tandem of Ma. Luisa and Ma. Paola Villarin, which thumped Christine Joy Arellano and Kaeshalane Theodoesis, 15-3, 15-1, while six pairs advanced without lifting their rackets with walkover victories.
They were Clarissa Arellano of Miriam College and Kathleen Balatbat of Bulacan; Jacklyn Cudia-Cherie Medina; Bianca Legaspi-Monica Yupangco; Lourdes Gaspar-Maria Susbilla; and Liza Encarnacion-Carla Lizardo.
Velez and Paredes will clash with the team of Arellano and Balatbat in the featured match in the quarters slated May 22-23 at SM Southmall in Las Piñas.
JVC has tapped the various SM malls for the event in a bid to further help popularize the sport, including in Cebu and Iloilo where a series of clinics and exhibition matches will be held May 8-9 and May 15-16, respectively.
The event, actually a prelude to the JVC National Open Championships, is supported by Alaska, Accel, Gosen, Toby’s Sports, Pioneer Insurance, Lactacyd, Tokyo Tokyo, The Philippine STAR, Agfa and Rudy Project.
The semifinals and the finals are set May 28-29 at the SM Megamall, which will also host a celebrity tournament May 30.