Vivas, Magnaye seal Open final showdown

MANILA, Philippines - Paul Jefferson Vivas pulled the rug from under the top-ranked player as reversals rocked the open division semifinals of the Ming Ramos-Victor National Open and Youth Badminton Championships yesterday at the Rizal Memorial Badminton Hall.

Seeded joint third in the men’s singles open, Vivas of the Philippine team ambushed teammate and No. 1 ranked Philip Joper Escueta, 21-19, 21-18, to barge into the gold medal match against another higher-seeded national mainstay, No. 2 Peter Gabriel Magnaye.

Magnaye shook off a precarious start before escaping with a 14-21, 21-7, 21-14 win over Honesto Buendia of Escoses Training Camp, in the process earning a shot at a double title in the tournament organized by the Philippine Badminton Association.

Reigning UAAP MVP Magnaye also reached the Under-19 championship match following a 21-18, 21-15 triumph over Buendia earlier in the day, forging an all-Phl team finale with Escueta. The top seeded Escueta was victorious in the U-19 semis against fifth ranked Kevin Cudiamat of Phl juniors/Team Prima, 21-14, 21-15.

The axe also fell on a higher seeded bet in the women’s singles open play with unseeded Nikki Therese Servando of Bacolod City upstaging No. 2 Danica San Ignacio of Phl team, 21-19, 21-14.

Servando set a finals date with No. 1 Malvinne Ann Venice Alcala, who clobbered joint third Janelle Gloriane De Vera of Whackers Badminton Academy, 21-8, 21-12, in the upper side of the draw.

Both Servando and Alcala made it to the finals in two age brackets in the event backed by San Miguel Corp and Victor.

Bacolodnon Servando lived up to her top billing in the U-17 competitions, beating semis rival De Vera, 21-19, 21-16, for a championship berth against No. 2 Cassandra Grace Lim of Escoses, a 21-14, 21-14 winner over WBA’s Kristelle Dawn Salatan.

Alcala, a gold medalist in the recent Singapore youth netfest, is also in the U-19 finale folowing a walk-over win over an injured Anna Patricia Barredo of WBA. She will be up against Janelle Glorianne de Vera, 21-16, 21-12 victor over San Ignacio.

Similarly in two finals was Palarong Pambansa standout Lim, who scored a 21-13, 21-12 verdict over Samantha Ramos of Golden Shuttle Foundation in the U-15 semis. Top seed Lim will dispute the tiara with third seed Joella Geva de Vera of WBA, who bundled out No. 2 Kaydee de Jesus of Allied Victor Club 360, 21-8, 21-10.

The other top seeds – Allied Victor bets Kenneth Monterubio (boys U-17); Joshua Monterubio (boys U-15); Mark Shelly Alcala (boys’ U-13); Daniel Baguio (boys U-11); Aira Mae Nicole Albo (girls U-13); and Aldreen Concepcion (girls U-11) – reached their expected finals places in the other age brackets.