Carlos, Alcala seal PBaRS semis duel

MANILA, Philippines - Bianca Carlos and Malvinne Ann Alcala bundled out their respective rivals in emphatic fashions to arrange a keenly awaited semifinal showdown in the girls’ Under-19 singles of the MVP Sports Foundation-Philippine Badminton Ranking System (PBaRS) tournament at Robinsons Place Manila yesterday.

The top-seeded Carlos notched her third straight-win in row with a 21-16, 21-10 romp over young Alyssa Geverjuan to reach the Final Four of the event she dominated last year although the Golden Shuttle Foundation standout will be facing a highly touted rival who missed the action the last time out for a return stint in the finals.

Alcala, the former Singapore and Australian Junior champion and considered as the country’s best all-around player, overpowered youthful Shane Salvador, 21-12, 21-8, to serve notice of her bid for one of two crowns in the event serving as the eighth leg of the nationwide ranking tournament sanctioned by the Philippine Badminton Association headed by Vice President Jejomar Binay with sportsman Manny V. Pangilinan as chairman and Rep. Albee Benitez as sec-gen.

Second seed Patrisha Malibiran, also of GSF, held off No. 8 Marina Caculitan of Woodrose School, 21-18, 21-17, to set up a duel with No. 4 Janelle De Vera of Whackers Badminton Academy, who ended Mariya Sevilla’s giant-killing run with a 21-16, 21-14 victory in the other quarters clash in the six-day event backed by the Philippine Olympic Committee, the Philippine Sports Commission, the PBA and official equipment sponsor Victor, exclusively distributed in the country by PCOME Industrial Sales, Inc.

Quarterfinal matches in the centerpiece Open division, which features the country’s leading players, were still being played at presstime with the Final Four set at 10 a.m. today also at Robinsons Place.

Top seed Clarence Filart of GSF eased out No. 12 Frell Gabuelo, 21-15, 21-14, to lead the semis cast in the boys’ U-19 that includes No. 4 Joshua Monterubio, third seed Glenn Remo and No. 6 Mark Shelley Alcala.

Monterubio, a national team mainstay, downed No. 9 Elijac Boac, 21-13, 21-14; Remo repulsed No. 10 Kevin Chan, 21-17, 21-17; and Mark Alcala booted out second seed Lorenzo Leonardo, 21-18, 21-19.

Geverjuan, the top seed in the U-15 division, toppled Kyle Geronimo, 21-8, 21-18, to seal a semis faceoff with Salvador, who upended No. 7 Meghan Cruz, 21-16, 21-7, while Aldreen Concepcion blasted Alyssa Roxas, 21-14, 21-12, to set up a showdown with Sevilla, who dominated Mikaela de Guzman, 21-14, 21-10, for the other finals berth.

Unranked Akishiete Hilario of Allied Victor stunned No. 5 Leon Escobar, 21-14, 21-15, to crash into the semis of the boys’ U-15 against No. 3 Jourele Antonio, who disposed of Kyle Legaspi, 21-10, 21-12, while No. 4 Daniel Pantanosas smothered Juan Carlo Nadong, 21-8, 21-12, for a semis clash with Joaquin Pangiliinan, who defeated Zedrick Montemayor, 21-13, 21-8.