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Singles sweeps mark opener of Shirley’s Classic
A.J. Ortega makes a backhand return to Leo Su during their men’s C singles game in the opening week of the 2014 Shirley’s Badminton Classic last Saturday at the TSL Sports Complex. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)
In the men’s singles, Jordan Pangilinan, Ezekiel Macario, and Jerome Malasarte prevailed in their respective first matches, while Dianne Francisco and Janelle Pangilinan drew first blood in the women’s singles.
Janelle made short work of Malou Malasarte in the women’s A singles, 21-16, 21-11. Two other players are entered in the women’s A singles with defending champion Hannah Choi and Lani Bartolome completing the list and drawing byes in the opening day.
In the women’s B singles, Francisco also needed only two games to beat Rowena Sison, 21-18, 21-10. Francisco and Sison will battle the women’s B singles crown against three others—Nicole Malasarte, Windy Fernandez, and Toshiko Obata.
In the men’s B singles, Macario topped Joel Ortega, 21-18, 21-16, to enter the win column in Pool A, which also has Aries Cordero. Edwin Montoya, John Cano, and Shintaro are in Pool B.
The men’s A singles also has two pools with Jordan Pangilinan winning the opening match in Pool A against Deether Edralin, 21-12, 21-20. Ferdie Arago and Jerry Hibi are the two other players in Pool A, while Pool B has Andreau Galvez, Macoi Aguda, and Glenn Bluutjens.
Meanwhile, four doubles matches were played in Day 1 of the Shirley’s Coffee Shop-supported and Northern Marianas Badminton Association-sanctioned tournament.
In the women’s C doubles, Nicole Malasarte and Patricia Abantao downed Emily Vargas and Judy Mendieta, 21-9, 21-9. The pairs of Vilmah Reyes and Baby Banadera, Gwynette and Janine Florento, and Roxe Lazaro and Lani Santos complete the field.
In the women’s B doubles, Christy Villaflor and Elna Curate took the long route in beating Merlie Tolentino and Santos, 18-21, 21-19, 21-12. The two protagonists are in Pool A of the women’s B doubles, along with the tandems of Loida Ito and Shirley Kim, Obata and Fernandez and Cheng Saturno and Lucelle Lampera. Pool B has Nicole Malasarte and Abantao, Franciso and Alma Ortega, Julie Lee and Sison, and Annette Ta and Elma Labuson.
In the men’s doubles division, the duos of Ariel Jinang and Ray Musada and Oh Im Bog and Yu bagged contrasting wins. Jinang and Musada rallied past A.J. Ortega and Raphael Zapanta in the C doubles, 14-21, 21-18, 21-17, while Oh and Yu waltzed past Celso Agui and Sato San, 21-10, 21-14, in the 35-and-above category.
