Asuncions drop to 15th in world badminton ranking

After zooming to their career best 11th in the world last month, siblings Kennie and Kennevic Asuncion of the Philippines have slipped four notches lower in the international badminton rankings.

But it’s okay, said Nelson Asuncion, father of the sister-brother tandem.

"We’re training locally and hopefully they’ll start competing again abroad starting May," said the eldest Asuncion.

After moving in and out of the top 20 last year, the Asuncions, the country’s best hopes in the sport, have found a way to stay there and even cracking No. 11 last month where no other Filipinos before them have reached.

Credit it to a pair of solid round-of-32 finishes in the tough Yonex Korean Open Super Series and Proton Malaysia Super Series late January. The feat also gained them some precious points in their bid to make the cut in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

But with lack of funds, the two have decided to slow down a bit by staying in the country to train for a couple of months before plunging anew into action in strong events in Asia and Europe.

One tournament the Asuncions, who train at the state-of-the-art, family-owned badminton facility in San Juan, are eyeing is the Swiss Open, another super series event set in May.

"With the help of sponsors, hopefully we could participate in the Swiss Open and some other international events," said Asuncion.

Three of the Filipino pair’s best performances came midway last year.

The Asuncions topped the Babolat North Harbor International in Australia and the Ballarat Eureka International in New Zealand in June and finished second in the Bingo Bonanza RP Open a month before that.

And Asuncion hopes the country would host another big international meet in RP.

"It would really benefit not only us but other Filipino badminton players if we have tournaments like that," said Asuncion.