Estanislao-Vivas cops FDG Cup plum

MANILA, Philippines - Ronel Estanislao and Paul Vivas reasserted their mastery over fellow Phl team-Victor members Ariel delos Santos and Gabriel Villanueva, fashioning out an emphatic 21-10, 21-10 victory to clinch the Open men’s doubles crown in the FDG Cup 2011, National Open and Invitational badminton tournament at PowerSmash in Makati over the weekend.

The win capped the Estanislao-Vivas pair’s domination of the centerpiece event, winning all their matches in straight-set fashions, including two tough victories over Patrick Natividad and Paolo Sunga, 23-21, 21-18, in the Last 16, and a 22-20, 21-17 escape over Ralph Mendez and Nico Saquin in the quarters.

They held off Michael Paclibar and Recson Salvaleon, 21-15, 21-17, in the semis to set up a return match with Delos Santos and Villanueva, whom they also beat in their second faceoff in the PBaRS (Philippine Badminton Ranking System) tournament in Bacolod last month.

The victory was worth P160,000 for the Estanislao-Vivas tandem with Delos Santos and Villanueva, who thwarted Andrei Babad and Peter Magnaye, 15-21, 21-11, 21-10, in the semis, settling for P80,000.  

Gelita Castilo, meanwhile, emerged the winningest player in the two-day event held in honor of Robinsons Land Corp. president Frederick D. Go and graced by world No. 1 Lee Chong Wei as she teamed up with Dia Magno to humble the Robinsons Land’s pair of Jubie Ann Vallarta and Ma. Isabelle Villaran in a thrilling decider for the women’s doubles plum, 20-22, 21-10, 21-18.