Sevilla stuns No. 1 Tan, advances into quarterfinals

MANILA, Philippines - Mariya Sevilla continued to dish out top form as she shocked top seed Pauline Tan, 13-21, 21-18, 21-18, to lead the other fancied bets into the quarterfinals of the Open women’s singles of the Bingo Bonanza National Open Badminton Tournament at the Rizal Memorial Badminton Hall yesterday.

Meanwhile, action in the country’s premier badminton championship, a P1.5 million ranking tournament sponsored by Bingo Bonanza, shifts to Glorietta 5 Atrium in Makati City today with the quarterfinal matches in the women’s and men’s singles and mixed doubles.

Bucking a lopsided first set setback, Sevilla got Tan all figured out in the next frame, foiling Tan with her repertoire of shots then outlasting the top Maynilad-Allied/NVBA bet in a tight finish to force a decider.

It was more of the same in the third with Sevilla, who whipped Klowie Garcia, 21-11, 21-11, in Tuesday’s opener of the event sanctioned by the Philippine Badminton Association headed by Vice President Jejomar Binay and sec-gen Rep. Albee Benitez, matching Tan’s smashes and drop shots before pulling through in another down-to-the-wire finish.

The tough one-hour victory sent the PBA-Smash Pilipinas ace into the Last 8 phase with Tricia Pomar of FEU/Equiparco-BBC, who subdued Marie Lorenzana, also in three, 21-15, 19-21, 21-15, while defending champion No. 3 Gelita Castilo of University of the Philippines, also went through wringer before repulsing Air Force’s Jennifer Cayetano, 19-21, 21-9, 21-10, in the lower half of the draw.

Castilo, who beat Sarah Barredo to clinch last year’s crown in the event backed by Gatorade, Glorietta, Smash Pilipinas and the Philippine Olympic Committee and organized by EventKing Corp., will next face Shane Salvador, also of PBA-Smash, who disposed of Beverly Lagnada, 21-12, 21-9.

The second seeded Barredo, also of PBA-Smash, dominated Hanah Tudtud, 21-16, 21-6, to arrange a quarters showdown with teammate Arianne Rivera, who trounced Victor’s PCOME’s Danica Bolos, 21-8, 21-12.

Fourth ranked Airah Albo, of PBA-Smash, also fought back from a set down to foil Indonesian Jesica Muljati with two thrilling escapes, 11-21, 24-22, 21-19, to force a duel with Allied-NVBA’s Aldreen Concepcion, who bundled out Rose Lagnada of FEU/Equiparco-BBC, 21-17, 21-12.