Badminton: RP gains 2 q'finals berth, as 3-way fight looms in RP Open

MANILA, July 3 — World power China booked 15 quarterfinal slots in five divisions, including five in the centerpiece men's singles, as it braced for a showdown with regional rivals Hong Kong and Indonesia in the Bingo Bonanza Philippine Open Badminton Championships at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.

Former world junior champion Chen Long continued his stride to a coveted crown as he trampled Malaysian Yogendran Krishnan, 21-13, 21-10, in one of late Thursday's matches to lead the march of the Chinese bets into the Last 8 of the Gold Grand Prix event sanctioned by the World Badminton Federation.

Chen, who cut short Filipino Rodel Bartolome's bid in the second round, 21-10, 21-5, will face Hong Kong's Wong Wing Ki for a spot in the semifinal round of the event sponsored by Bingo Bonanza and held under the auspices of the Philippine Badminton Association.

Wong, took out third seed Lee Tsuen Seng of Malaysia, 21-9, 21-11, in one of the many upsets posted in tournament as Hong Kong grabbed eight QF berths, two each in all but one of the five events disputed in the five-day championship backed by Victor (PCOME Industrial Sales, Inc), PLDT Business Solutions, The Philippine STAR, the Philippine Sports Commission, Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza and Solar Sports.

Quarterfinal matches in five divisions are being held at presstime.

Meanwhile, tickets for the semis on Saturday and the Sunday finals are available at Ticketworld with prices pegged at P500, P400, P300, P200 and P50. For details, contact Ticketworld at 891-9999 or log on to ticketworld.com.ph.

Indonesia had nine slots in the Last 8, including four in the men's doubles, which it threatened to dominate through the top seeded pair of Mohammad Ahsan and Bond Septano and the tandems of Yohan Dasuki-Rian Sukamawan, Alvent Yulianto-Hendra Gunawan, Fernando Kurniawan-Lingga Lee.

Japan clinched four quarterfinal seats, two each in women's singles and women's doubles, while RP has two, courtesy of Malvinne Alcala in women's singles and the men's doubles pair of Kelvin Panganiban and Gabriel Villanueva.

Vietnam and Malaysia had one apiece. Panganiban and Villanueva pulled off a 21-17, 21-19 win over fellow Filipinos Jobett Co and Antonio Gadi to arrange a showdown with Ahsan and Septano.

Still, the Chinese are fancied to rake in most of the titles staked in the 0,000 tournament.

Lu Qicheng joined Chen in the Last 8 with a 21-16, 21-18 win over Hong Kong's Chan Yun Lung, who stunned top seed Chan Yan Kit, 23-21, 21-17, in the second round, to face compatriot Zhou Wenlong, who booted out Indonesian Adnan Fauzi, 21-14, 21-19, in the upper half of the draw.

Unfancied Du Pengyu shocked third seed Sairul Ayob of Malaysia, 21-18, 23-21, to forge an all-Chinese encounter with Gao Huan, who routed RP's Paul Co, 21-4, 21-6, in the lower half of the bracket.

Out to foil the Chinese bid is second seed Nguyen Tien Minh of Vietnam, who downed Singapore's Huang Chao, 21-12, 21-13, to arrange a clash with HK's eighth seed Hu Yun, who held off Indonesian Yoga Pratama, 21-18, 21-17.

China also sent three entries in women's singles, including No. 4 Jiang Yanjiao, Wang Shixian and Wang Xin, although experts believe they will have to combine forces to topple Hong Kong's defending champion and world No. 2 Zhou Mi.

Zhou, who drew a bye in the first round, groped for form in the early going but settled down in time to dispose of Indonesian Aprilla Yuswandari, 21-19, 21-11, for a clash with Japan's Sachiyo Imai, who earlier stunned No. 8 Maja Tvrdy of Slovenia before beating HK's Mong Kwan Yi, 21-13, 21-11.

Jiang will face 13-year-old Alcala, who subdued compatriot Camille Yang, 21-9, 21-7, while Wang Shixian takes on third ranked Yip Pui Yin of HK, who defeated compatriot Chan Tsz Ka.

Wang Xin, who surprised seventh seed Charmain Reid of Canada, 21-8, 21-14, will meet Japan's Rie Eto, who won over HK's Chan Hung Ling, 21-12, 21-13.

China also has two entries in men's doubles, including No. 6 Chen Zhiben and Shen Ye and No. 7 Sun Junjie and Tao Jiaming. Chen and Shen will take on Kurniawan and Lee, while Sun and Tao tangle with Malaysian Gan Tiek Chai and Tan Bin Shen.

A wild chase for the women's doubles crown is expected with China, Hong Kong, Japan and Indonesia gaining two QF slots each, although the team to beat is the Indonesian top seeded pair of Shendy Puspa and Meiliana Jauhari.

Puspa and Jauhari dispute the first semis seat with compatriots Pia Bernadet and Debby Susanto, while Japan's Rie Eto and Yu Wakita slug it out with HK's Chan Tsz Ka and Tse Ying Suet.

Wang Siyun and Zhang Jinkang fight it out with fellow Chinese Gao Ling and Wei Yili in the lower bracket while Japan's Yuka Hayashi and Seiko Yamada collide with HK's Chan Hung Ling and Chau Hoi Wah, who shocked the second seeded tandem of Nicole Grether of Germany and Charmaine Reid of Canada, 21-18, 23-21.

China, Indonesia and HK also dispute the semis berths in mixed doubles with Tri Kusharjanto and Minarti Timur of Indonesia hoping to sustain their big upset over top seed Yohan Wiratama and Chau Hoi Wah of HK, 18-21, 21-11, 21-13. They will face China's Zhang Wan and Lu Lu, who beat Japan's Keisuke Kawaguchi and Rie Eto, 21-6, 21-13. Indonesia's Hendra Aprida and Vita Marissa, who also posted a shock 21-18, 21-16 win over No. 4 Tontowi Ahmad and Richi Puspita of Indonesia in the previous round, battles China's Qiu Zihan and Deng Yuting, who stopped RP's Kennie and Kennevic Asuncion, 19-21, 21-8, 21-16.

The other QF pairings in the lower draw pits China's Chen Zhiben and Zhang Jinkang against HK's Albertus Susanto Njoto and Ng Ka Shun and Indonesia's Muhammad Rijal and Debby Susanto versus No. 2 Wong Wai Hong and Koon Wai Chee of Hong Kong. (PNA) vcs/LOR/pr

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