Race for semis slots in IT&E tourney tightens up

  The race for the semis berths in the IT&E Singles & Mixed Doubles Badminton Tournament 2012 is on after nine days of competition at the NMBA Gym at the TSL Sports Complex in Gualo Rai.

In the mixed doubles C, only two semis tickets are left after Joel and Alma Ortega and Dick Koo and Woo Kyung Bae secured the first two in Group A. As of Tuesday’s results, the Ortegas are unbeaten in four games, while Koo and Bae finished the round-robin elimination with a 4-1 card.

In Group B, the pairs of Son Jae Ok and Fen Luan Li and Brandon Talania and Roma Barlao have an inside track for the two remaining semis spots as they are undefeated in three games as of last Tuesday’s results. Luis Camacho and Lani Santos and Melvin Capalad and Mulan Ta could still catch up provided the two leadings teams would drop their remaining two matches.

In the mixed doubles B, Wowie Abuel and Jane Tupas have a strong chance to get one of the two semis berths in Group A with its perfect 5-0 as of Day 9. Eight other teams in Group A will battle for the other Final Four tickets.

In Group B, the father-and-daughter tandem of Jojo and Jen Savellano are the current frontrunners in the race for semis seats with its spotless 4-0 card. Rodwealth Espana and Elna Curate are close behind with their 3-1 record with three games left (played last Wednesday). Three other teams are still in the running for the Final Four berths in their bracket.

In the tough mixed doubles A, only Angie Ito and Andreau Galvez are assured of a semis slot after completing Group B matches with an immaculate 4-0 slate. Four other teams will slug it out for the remaining semis seat in their group.

For Group A, it is still an open race for the five teams, which have all tasted defeats in the first three weeks of the competition.

In the singles play, Macoi Aguda is likely to get one of the spots in Group A of the men’s A division with his 3-0 record. Four others will square off for the other semis ticket. In Group B, Sam Jones has a 2-0 record, while Saul Gargallo is also in the thick of the fight with his 2-1 card.

In the men’s B, Abuel took the first semis spot after topping Group A with his 4-0 record. Three other players have a chance for the other ticket. In Group B, Jexler Caranto (4-0) and Espana (3-1) won the two Final Four berths.

In the men’s C, Talania boosted his semis chances after holding a 3-0 card in Group A, while four other players are fighting for survival. In Group B, Koo and Kanata Omori are favored with their 2-0 and 2-1 records, respectively.

In the women’s A singles, Angie Ito, Lani Bartolome, and Hannah Choi had already secured three of the four semis tickets, leaving four players to battle for remaining slot.

In the women’s C singles, which also has only one group, it is still an open race among seven players. In the women’s B, Cris Obaldo won the first semis ticket in four-player Group A with her 2-1 record, while four more players will contest the two other Final Four spots in Group B.