Defending champions back in singles finals

Janelle Pangilinan steps forward for a return during an earlier singles game in the 2014 Shirley’s Badminton Classic. She will face defending champion Hannah Choi in the women’s A singles finals tomorrow at the TSL Sports Complex. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Galvez marched into the finals after sweeping Jordan Pangilinan in the first semis game in the men’s A singles, 21-8, 21-15, last Sunday at the TSL Sports Complex. The semis match against Galvez was Pangilinan’s second for the night, as he earlier challenged Jerry Hibi in a knockout match for the fourth and last semis berth in the division and won, 21-20, 21-17.

With Galvez foiling Pangilinan’s upset bid, the defending champion arranged a finals date with Ferdie Arago for the third straight time (same tournament). Galvez is hoping to keep his streak against Arago, who got a free finals pass after winning via default over Macoi Aguda in the other semis pairing last Sunday.

Choi also cruised her way to the finals, prevailing via forfeiture against Malou Malasarte in the first semis match in the women’s A singles. She will go for her third straight championships in the annual tournament versus Janelle Pangilinan. Pangilinan earned the chance to dethrone Choi after eliminating Lanie Bartolome in the other semis game last Sunday, 21-9, 21-11.

Meanwhile, four other players bagged finals tickets after last Sunday’s playoff games.

In the men’s B singles, Ezekiel Macario, who lost to Jordan Pangilinan in last year’s semis, this time survived the Final Four after beating Edwin Montoya, 21-10, 21-6. Macario will be up against Joel Ortega in tomorrow’s finals, as the former won via default against Shintaro.

In the women’s B singles, it will be Dianne Francisco versus Nicole Malasarte. Francisco gained the first finals slot in the division after ousting Rowena Sison, 21-17, 21-9, while Malasarte bagged the second and last finals ticket following a 21-18, 22-20 triumph over Windy Fernandez in the other Final Four pairing.

In other semis results last Sunday in the doubles division, Chris Hilario and Patrick Fernandez defeated Edwin Montoya and Tommy Kim, 21-12, 21-18, to barge into the finals of the men’s 35-and-over division. The other finalist in the group has yet to be determined, as two more knockout matches will still be played tonight. Roger Vales and Eydie Uy and Oh Im Bog and J. Yu will play in the first knockout match with the winner challenging Montoya and Kim for the last finals seat.

In the women’s 35-and-above doubles, the pair of Shirley Kim and Lani Santos will take on Loyda Ito and Gigi Zapanta. Kim and Santos slipped past Alma Ortega and Sally Im in the semis, 17-21, 22-20, 23-21, while Ito and Zapanta won via default over Elna Curate and Roxe Lazaro.

In the women’s A doubles, Bartolome and Fernandez swept Janelle Pangilinan and Jenine Savellano to set a finals showdown against Choi and Alma Ortega, who got a free semis win over Ito and Curate (no-show).

Leo Su and Patrick Fernandez also won via default against John Cano and Jeremi Montenejo to advance to the men’s C doubles finals against Taeho Kim and Tommy Kim. Tae Ho and Tommy needed three games to beat Ariel Jinang and Ray Musada, 14-21, 21-17, 22-20.

The men’s C doubles finals along with the title games in the men’s and women’s A, B, and C singles, and women’s and men’s B and 35-and-above doubles will be played this Saturday, while the men’s and women’s A doubles finale are set for Sunday. Consolation games in all divisions take place tonight.