National team standouts Jelo Albo and Mika De Guzman took a step closer to their respective bids for the men’s and women’s singles titles at the 2024 Philippine Badminton Open following their semifinal wins yesterday (Monday) at the First Pacific Leadership Academy here.
Albo, the 20-year-old hometown bet, fended off the challenge of top seed RJ Oba-ob of the Philippine Air Force in 39 minutes of intense rallies, 21-12, 21-10, to move into the final of the men’s singles in this Philippine Super 500 tournament, sponsored by Smart, Mizuno, the Philippine Sports Commission, and the MVP Sports Foundation.
“Totally, wala naman po talaga akong sinet na goal sa sarili ko. Siguro, sa lahat naman, ang goal nila is mag-champion. Pero para sa ‘kin lang is mapakita ko ‘yung best ko at mag-perform ng maayos,” said the UAAP Season 85 Rookie of the Year from University of the Philippines.
Albo, who lives just a few kilometers from the venue, knew the capabilities of Oba-ob, a former national team member, and understood he had to seize his opportunities to score when they arose.
“Siguro ‘yung finocus ko lang this semifinals is ‘yung gameplay ko na kailangan ko siyang atakihin. Kasi kung tatagal ‘yung game, ako ‘yung mahihirapan, kasi si Kuya Ob sobrang lakas ng katawan niya; ‘yung endurance niya ando’n kahit sabihin na nating senior namin siya. So, ‘yung mindset ko lang is ‘kung paano ko papatayin ‘yung bola,” shared the incoming third-year Fighting Maroon.
Albo will compete for the title against the tournament’s biggest surprise so far, Clarence Villaflor of Cadiz-JBA/Apacs, who dominated Ateneo de Manila University’s Arthur Salvado Jr., 21-13, 21-16, in the other semifinal clash.
De Guzman, on her part, continued her impressive run towards defending her title in the women’s singles in this competition, sponsored by Jollibee, Chowking, and the FPLA. She secured a 21-10, 21-13 victory over National University’s Karylle Rio in just half an hour.
Despite the scoreline, the 2023 APACS Kazakhstan International Series champion praised her fellow UAAP standout Rio’s game, saying, “She did great po. I know she is one of the top players at NU, and at the same time, I’m also happy with my performance. Knowing na top players sila ng top schools, kailangan ko pong ilabas ‘yung 100 percent best ko.”
With another Lady Bulldog, Ysabel Amora, who won 21-15, 21-12 against Anielka Maeve Paz, standing in her way to the championship, De Guzman knew what she needed to do on Tuesday.
“Ibubuhos ko na po lahat kasi ito na ‘yung final game eh. So, kung ano pa po ‘yung natitira sa sarili ko, ibibigay ko na po talaga lahat-lahat,” said the three-time UAAP champion from Ateneo de Manila University.
In the doubles play of this tournament, also backed by Maynilad, MWell, and Cignal, Smash Pilipinas standouts Julius Villabrille and Nicole Albo kept their title-retention bids alive after surviving the challenges presented to them in the three semifinal matches they conquered.
Villabrille, who is in his third year with NU, teamed up with his 2023 APACS Kazakhstan Future Series title partner, Solomon Padiz Jr., in a 24-22, 21-11 victory over fellow Bulldogs Lanz Zafra and Nestojan Tapales.
Meanwhile, Albo, UAAP Season 80 MVP with De La Salle University, joined forces with Lea Inlayo, a two-time UAAP champion with UP, in a rousing 21-14, 21-19 victory over University of Santo Tomas’ Patricia De Leon and Marielle Alvarez.
Villabrille and Padiz Jr. will face their national team colleagues, head coach Ariel Magnaye and Christian Bernardo, for the title following the latter’s 21-17, 21-15 win over UP’s Kervin Llanes and Rey Angelo Pedron.
Albo and Inlayo, on the other hand, will be facing UP Fighting Maroons Patricia de Dios and Kimberly Lao, who won 21-18, 21-13 over University of Santo Tomas’ Jennifer Saladaga and Rhafi Santos.
Reigning mixed doubles champions Villabrille and Albo likewise defeated John Gregg Paz and Marilou Dacillo, 21-11, 21-13, and will face Padiz and Inlayo or Bernardo and Alyssa Leonardo, who were still competing as of this writing.
The tournament concludes today (Tuesday) with the championship matches starting at 10 a.m. at the Gameville Ball Park in Mandaluyong City, with 1 million pesos in total prize money across the five events.