Gadi, Carlos bag Yonex single titles

MANILA, Philippines - Bianca Isabel Carlos and Antonino Gadi beat their respective rivals in straight-set fashions as the Golden Shuttle Foundation bets swept the Open singles crowns in the Yonex-Sunrise Philippine Open Badminton Championships at the Yonex courts in Mandaluyong City last Sunday.

The 14-year-old Carlos flashed resiliency as she rallied in both sets to turn back Jubie Ann Vallarta of Allied-Victor PCOME-RLC-C650, 21-19, 23-21, and capture the ladies singles plum as she became the youngest Open category champion in the annual tournament.

Gelita Castilo, who skipped the event to compete in the World Juniors in Malaysia, was the previous youngest winner when she won last year.

Carlos battled back from a 15-18 deficit in the first set by winning six of the last seven points then proved steadier than Vallarta in the extended second set to complete the come-from-behind triumph in the event presented by Yonex-Sunrise.

She earlier beat doubles partner Patrisha Malibiran, 21-15, 21-15, to capture the 14-under singles diadem. The duo then teamed up to upend second seed Francheska Alcasid and Janelle de Vera in three sets and win the 14-under girls doubles title.

Gadi, meanwhile, became the third back-to-back men’s singles champion in the event when he outclassed national team mainstay Andrei Babad, 21-16, 21-16, in the finals.

In other resuts, Mark Alvin Natividad (RP Team/Team Army) and Ronel Estanislao (Allied Badminton Club-Victor PCOME-DLSU-Club 650) routed Kelvin Panganiban and Gabbie Villanueva of the RP team, 21-14, 21-14, to cop the Open men’s doubles crown.

Estanislao later partnered with Pauline Ramos of DLSU/Kawasaki-Whackers Badminton Academy to defeat Edison Cupcupin and Melody Villaceran (Babolat-Philstar), 21-12, 21-14, to claim the Open mixed doubles championship.

Danica Bolos and Descka Calimlim of Allied-Victor PCOME-RLC-C650 repulsed teammates Isabelle Villaran and Vallarta, 21-18 15-21 21-15, to clinch the Open ladies doubles plum.

Bolos also ruled the juniors 18-under girls singles and doubles titles.

In the Corporate Category, The Philippine STAR, Dalia Santiago, Rina Batuigas, Melody Villaceran and Edison Cupcupin, defeated Robinsons Land, 2-0, for its third straight championship in the tournament co-presented by Gatorade and Juego Sports Shop.

In the Intercollegiate category, Far Eastern U captured the gold medal while De La Salle and University of the East took the silver and bronze medals, respectively.

Other backers of the event are the Badminton Hub, Sportshub, The Yonex Shop, My Shaldan Air Fresheners, Badminton Xtreme Magazine, Alveo Land, Mabuhay Guides, Fish Designs, Portraitme.net, World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Potato Corner, Elarz Lechon, The Philippine STAR, Wave 89.1 and Solar Sports.