Badminton: Asuncions head RP title drive in mixed doubles
June 29, 2009 9:04 am
MANILA, June 29 — Kennevic and Kennie Asuncion hope to flash their old brilliance and at the same time draw inspiration from the home crowd as they head the local challenge in the mixed doubles event of the $ 120,000 Bingo Bonanza Philippine Open Badminton Championships which gets under way on July 1 at the Philsports Arena.
The veteran brother-sister tandem finished second in the inaugural staging of the event in 2006 but has groped for form the last few years due to lack of international competition and are listed at No. 21 among 29 pairs fighting it out for top honors in the mixed doubles this week.
The Alfredo Mailom-Pauline Ramos tandem is actually ranked higher than the Asuncions at No. 15 but the latter remain the sentimental favorites owing to their experience and long-tested partnership that has given the country honors in the past.
They will be up against the crack pairs from Malaysia, Indonesia, China, Japan and Slovenia as well as Hong Kong, which will be headed by world No. 11 Yohan Wiratama and Hoi Wah Chau.
The bulk of the 145-player foreign contingent hit town Sunday in time for the keenly-awaited event, a Graded four-star or Gold event sponsored by sponsored by Bingo Bonanza and organized by the International Management Group.
For updates on Bingo Bonanza RP Open, which also features the men's and women's singles and men's and ladies doubles, log on to www.philopenbadminton.com.
Meanwhile, tickets are available at Ticketworld with prices pegged at P300, P200, P150, P100 and P50 for the first three days and P500, P400, P300, P200 and P50 in the final two days. For details, contact Ticketworld at 891-9999 or log on to ticketworld.com..ph.
The tournament, sanctioned by the Philippine Badminton Association and backed by Victor (PCOME Industrial Sales, Inc), PLDT Business Solutions, The Philippine STAR, Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza and Solar Sports, will also give Filipino players a chance to gain ranking points needed to make it to the 2012 London Olympics, according to former First Lady and PBA president Amelita "Ming" Ramos.(PNA) vcs/LOR/pr
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