MANILA, Philippines - National team mainstay Malvinne Ann Alcala and Malaysian partner Yogendran Krisnan pulled off a stirring 21-16, 21-19 victory over the top-seeded pair of Toby Gadi and Gelita Castilo to crash into the Last 16 of the Open mixed doubles of the FDG Cup Open and Invitational Badminton Championships at Powersmash in Makati yesterday.
The 16-year-old Alcala, coming off a win in last week’s Swiss International Juniors 19-under division, and Krisnan overpowered the Ateneo pair in the opening frame then hung tough in the second to complete the 25-minute victory and prime themselves up for top P120,000 purse in the event held in honor of Robinsons Land Corp. president Frederick D. Go.
Alcala and Krisnan were chasing one of the quarterfinals berths at presstime against John Greg Paz and Jen Cayetano, who scored a walkover win over John Aguila and Ma. Kristine Gaspar in the upper half of the draw.
Bianca Carlos and Indonesian I Komang Wijaya also hacked out a tough 21-15, 23-21 victory over Alvin Morada and Marina Caculitan while Paul Vivas and Indon Lili Wang routed JC Clarito and Jovally Cabanero, 21-12, 21-9, to advance to the second round.
Meanwhile, Alcala and Wang teamed up in the Open women’s doubles to beat Mona Santoso and Jubie Vallarta, 21-13, 21-16, and set up a second round duel with second seed Jen Cayetano and Kim Mayono, who drew a first round bye in the event backed by HCG 80, Davies Paints, Supreme Steel Pipe Corp. and Sycwin Wires and Cables.
World No. 5 men’s singles player Simon Santoso of Indonesia and Frederick Go face off with the world No. 4 mixed doubles tandem of Tontowi Ahmed and Liliyana Natsirat at 3 p.m. in one of the two exhibition matches serving as the highlight of the two-day tournament.
Santoso, third in this year’s Indonesian Open Grand Prix Gold, will later team up with local ace Kennevic Asuncion against the Ahmed-Natsir tandem, the All England Badminton Open mixed doubles title-holders and winners of this year’s Indonesian Open Grand Prix.
Others who advanced in the Open women’s doubles, which stakes P90,000 to the winners, were Natalia Poluakan of Indonesia and Isabelle Villaran, who blasted Myra Francisco and Aiza Pelagio for a second round clash with the top-seeded pair of Castilo and Dia Magno, who drew a bye; Pepet Bacarro and Jean Lucas, who repulsed Bianca Legaspi and Pauline Tan, 15-21, 22-20, 21-19; Saro Fullante and Cathy Godoy, who turned back Mitzel Buiza and Mara de Guzman, 21-15, 13-21, 21-15; and No. 3 Iris Montilla and Kristel Salatan, who booted out Jean Aguila and Steffi Aquino, 21-10, 21-13.
Escueta and Ariel Magnaye overwhelmed Jerome Pechera and Keith Reyes, 21-6, 21-6, to join early winners Winston Aquilo and Tums Gabuelo, Marlon Cruz and Michael Ferrer, JC Benipayo and Orlan Ticala, Kevin Dalisay and Christopher Flores, Jimson Dionisio and John Pasanting, Vinci Manuel and Alvin Morada, Jesschard Piol and Alcaed Sabanal, Gian Manuel and Roden Rivera, and Jaime Junio and Jayson Oba-ob in the premier Open men’s doubles, which offers a whopping P200,000 purse to the winners.