Wang, Barredo on collision course

MANILA, Philippines – Defending champion Lili Wang of Bingo Bonanza and second seed Sarah Joy Barredo of Smash Pilipinas scored victories in contrasting fashions to advance to the quarterfinal round of women’s singles in the Smart National Open Badminton tournament at the Powersmash Badminton Center in Makati City yesterday.

Wang scored a walkover over Irish Queen Molina while Barredo slammed eighth seed Maridel Rivera of FEU/ETC, 21-9, 21-12, to set up a quarters showdown with Beatrice Felizardo, who downed Tricia Pomar of FEU/ETC, 21-14, 21-13, and FEU’s Michal Dei Duquilla, a 21-23, 21-15, 21-16 winner over UP’s Susmita Ramos.

Barredo is coming off a victory in the Bingo Bonanza Open last week while Wang hopes to reassert her mastery over the former whom she nipped, 21-10, 15-21, 21-17, in last year’s finals of this annual event sponsored by Smart Communications.

Others who advanced were No. 7 Mariya Anghela Sevilla of Smash Pilipinas, Indonesian Jessica Muljati of Bingo Bonanza, No. 6 Monica Rivera of Smash Pilipinas and top seed Pauline Marie Tan of UP.  In other matches, it was Sevilla over FEU’s Terrence Mae Pomar, 21-8, 21-11; Muljati over UP’s Gelita Castilo, 21-12, 21-13; Rivero over Air Force’s Anna Patricia Barredo, 17-21, 21-19, 21-13; and Tan over Jochelle Alvarez of Whackers Badminton Academy, 17-21, 21-19, 21-9. 

The tournament is backed by Sun Cellular, MVP Sports Foundation, Victor distributor PCome Industrial Sales, Powersmash Badminton Center and Robinsons Place Manila.