RP shuttlers chase ranking points in Open

Thirty-eight Filipinos, including 16 in the singles events, go in pursuit of world ranking points in the $120,000 first Bingo Bonanza Philippine Open Badminton Championships presented by PLDT Business Solutions which fires off beginning Wednesday at the Philsports Arena.

Veteran internationalist Kennevic Asuncion spearheads the local bets’ bid in the men’s singles as he takes on Ion Weng Lo of Macau in one of the round of 32 matches kicking off the five-day event, the first four-star, IBF-ranked tournament to be played here.

Asuncion, listed as No. 230 in the latest IBF rankings, hopes to hurdle his opening round assignment in this event which drew over 200 players from 17 countries. However, he will have his hands full in the second round against Hong Kong’s Chan Yan Kit, the No. 5 seed in the 60-player field who drew an opening day bye.

Thirteen other Filipinos are seeing action in the men’s singles, including Lloyd Escoses, the only other local bet with an IBF ranking of 485th. Others seeking ranking points and hoping to get the most out of their exposure in a tournament of this magnitude are Owen Lopez, Rodel Bartolome, Wilson Frias, Arolas Amahit, Jr., Ben Garcia, Mark Natividad, Wally Fernandez, Kelvin Ang, Alfredo Mailon, Marlon Villarin, Jamie Junio and Christopher Flores.

Irene Chiu and Karyn Velez are the only RP bets in the tough ladies singles side as veteran Kennie Asuncion opted to play only in the mixed doubles with brother Kennevic and in the doubles in tandem with Indon Wang Lili.

Five RP teams will slug it out with 19 others in the men’s doubles of the event sponsored by Bingo Bonanza and JVC (PHILS), Inc. with Frias and Mailon taking on the HK pair of Wai Hui and Alroy Tanama Putra in an early test of form and skills.

The other RP tandems are Lopez-Bartolome, Amahit-Escoses, Garcia-Villarin and Junio-Natividad while Kennevic Asuncion taps American Raju Rai as his partner.

Sisters Rachel and Raquel Guerrero drew a tough opening game match with Indons Nur Sigianti Endang and Rani Mundiasti in the women’s doubles while the pair of Paula Chan and Therine Chan took a bye.

Focus will be on the Asuncion siblings in the mixed doubles although the pair, ranked 69 in the world, drew a bye in the opener and will meet Japan’s Jun Takemura and Yasuyo Imabeppu in the last 16 stage.

The other countries seeing action in the event, backed by Jam 88.3, 99.5 RT, Magic 89.9, 103.5 K-Lite, Wave 89.1, Snickers, Toby’s Sports, The STAR, Badminton Asia, Inquirer Badminton, Fossil Watches, Bacchus Energy Drink, Accel, Yonex Sunrise, Crowne Plaza, the official hotel, and Solar Sports, the official TV partner, are Germany, Finland, Canada, Japan, Vietnam, Italy, England, Thailand, the United States, Malaysia, India, Denmark and Singapore.

Tickets are available at all Ticketworld outlets and are packaged in the following categories: May 24-26 Category 1 (P200); Category 2 (P150); Category 3 (P100); Category 4 (P50); Gallery (P10); May 27-28 Category 1 (P500); Category 2 (P350); Category 3 (P250); Category 4 (P150); Gallery (P20). Tickets purchased earlier will still be honored on the new event dates, according to IMG.

For details call Ticketworld at 891-9999 or get online at: www.ticketworld.com.ph.