Golden Racquets dominate

Jordan Pangilinan gave the Golden Racquets two victories in their 38-7 trouncing of Shirley’s Badminton Club in the finals of the 9th Annual Traders Insurance Badminton Team Tournament last weekend at the TSL Sports Complex. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

The Golden Racquets saved the best for last en route to a 38-7 title win against Shirley’s Badminton Club in the 9th Annual Traders Insurance Badminton Team Tournament over the weekend at the TSL Sports Complex.

The Golden Racquets, which dropped a closely fought game against Shirley’s, 21-24, in the elimination round, showed dominance in their second and final meeting this season after prevailing in 13 out of the 15 matches in their championship showdown. The winning club was so unstoppable in the finale that 10 of its victories were recorded via sweeps.

Jordan Pangilinan and Deether Edralin handed the Golden Racquets its first victory after downing Jeff Riman and Daniel Macario in the men’s AA doubles, 21-15, 21-11. Edralin also played in the mixed AA doubles with Jen Savellano and they needed only two sets, too to top Windy Fernandez and Hajin Oh, 21-10, 21-11.

Savellano and Fernandez’s paths crossed anew in the mixed AB doubles with the former teaming up with Joel Ortega in beating the latter and Chris Hilario, 26-24, 21-17. In the women’s AB, Alma Ortega and Anna Alvarez made short work of Fernandez and Jaja Bocago, 21-12, 21-15, while Robin and A.J. Ortega also eased past Puy Macario and Hajin Oh in the men’s AB doubles, 21-10, 21-13.

In the men’s A singles, Edralin got his third win after slipping past Macario, 21-18, 19-21, 21-13. The men’s BC doubles also went the distance with A.J. Ortega and Robin outlasting Hajin and John Oh, 19-21, 21-19, 21-19.

The above matches were played on Court 1 where Shirley’s avoided a shutout, thanks to Vilma Reyes and Annette Ta’s victory over Merlie Savellano and Roxanne Soriano in the women’s BB doubles, 21-18, 21-17.

Over at Court 3, long-time partners Janelle Pangilinan and Jen Savellano outclassed Ta and Hannah Choi, 21-12, 21-18 to start the Golden Racquets’ string of four victories via sweeps. A.J. Ortega gave the Golden Racquets its second win on the same court after topping John Oh in the men’s C singles, 21-14, 21-11. Joey Algenio and Myla Vicencio made it three in a row for the eventual champion when they defeated Solo and Kathy Distor, 21-13, 21-14, while Janelle Pangilinan extended her team’s streak with a 21-12, 21-13 triumph over Fernandez in the women’s A singles.

Shirley’s then snapped its losing skid in the next pairing when Patrick Fernandez and Ta survived and mother-and-son tandem of Alma and A.J. Ortega in the mixed BB doubles, 21-19, 16-21, 21-10. However, that was the only victory Shirley’s got at Court 3, as the Golden Racquets swept the last two matches to complete its domination of the championship round. The pairs of Algenio and A.J. Ortega and Noli Santos and Vic Reyes delivered the last two wins for the Golden Racquets as they both downed Jun Banadera and Bon Demeterio in the men’s CC, 21-11, 21-18, and BB doubles 21-13, 21-5.