INQUIRER Sports

MANILA, Philippines - Malvinne Ann Venice Alcala gatecrashed her way to the quarterfinals but she can’t expect a warm welcome against a top Chinese shuttler.

The 13-year-old Alcala made it to the last eight after a crushing victory over compatriot Camille Krisnin Yang, 21-9, 21-7, in the women’s singles of the Bingo Bonanza Philippine Grand Prix Gold badminton championships at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig.

Alcala, the national pool stalwart, next faces a formidable foe in fourth seed and world No. 13 Zhang Yanjiao, who disposed of Vietnam’s Nguyen Nhung Le Ngoc, 21-13, 21-12.

“I haven’t played with (Zhang),” said Alcala, a home-schooled high school freshman. “I just want to give my best and not think about the world rankings.”

A big disappointment for home fans came later in the afternoon when local heroes Kennie and Kennevic Asuncion fell to Chinese Qiu Zihan and Deng Yuting, 19-21, 21-8, 21-16, in the mixed doubles round of 16.

The Asuncion siblings, once ranked as high as 11th in the world, kept the ball low and out of reach of their taller foes to take the first set.

But the visitors turned the match around with their superior skills, forcing the Asuncions to nine straight errors to eventually seal the match in 40 minutes.

The 5-foot-7 Alcala, who trained in Indonesia, trounced Vicka Ella Dorado, 21-8, 21-3, Wednesday.

Even if Alcala hurdles Zhang, she’s bunched in the top half of the draw that includes world No. 1 Zhou Mi of Hong Kong.

Zhou was to play Indonesia’s Aprilia Yuswandari late Thursday with the winner advancing against Japanese Sachiyo Imai, who whipped Hong Kong’s Mong Kwan-yi, 21-13, 21-11.

In the men’s doubles, the pairs of Jobett Hirelli Co-Antonio Benjamin Gadi and Kelvin Panganiban-Gabriel Villanueva won in straight sets to reach the last 16.

Co and Gadi bested the pair of Indonesian Aditya Arifin and local bet Jaime Junio, 21-17, 21-12, while Panganiban and Villanueva ousted compatriots Joffre Arollado and Cliff Marvin Yan, 21-16, 21-13.

Also advancing were Andrei Babad-Peter Gabriel Magnaye who routed Paul Jeremiah Co-Gregorio Esquillo, 21-10, 21-12; Emmanuel Garcia-Mark Alvin Natividad who overwhelmed Alfredo Mailon-Reczon Salvaleon, 21-12, 21-13; and Bogs Amahit-Ian Piencenaves who edged Owen Lopez-Kelvin Ang, 21-17, 17-21, 22-20.

Former RP No. 1 Lloyd Escoses, complaining of a pulled hamstring, abandoned his men’s doubles partnership with Kennevic Asuncion.