Barredo, Alcala forge anticipated FDG showdown

Top seed Sarah Barredo and fancied Malvinne Alcala knocked off their respective rivals to arrange a dream semifinal face-off in the women’s Open singles the FDG Cup 2015 Open and Invitational Badminton Championships at Powersmash in Makati City yesterday.

Barredo overpowered fellow PBA Smash Pilipinas mainstay Aldreen Conception, 21-9, 21-17, to book a semifinal seat in the centerpiece event of the tournament.

Alcala joined her with a 21-12, 21-6 romp over Marinel Diansay in their quarterfinal encounter.

The keenly-awaited clash for the first finals berth is set at 10:20 a.m. today at Robinsons Place Ermita along with the other semifinals and finals matches to be highlighted by the exhibition game between former Olympic, world and Asian Games champion Taufik Hidayat and Robinsons Land Corp. Frederick D. Go against London Olympics silver medalist Mizuki Fujii and former Olympian Kennevic Asuncion at 3 p.m.

No. 3 Airah Albo downed Janel Dihiansan, 21-14, 21-18, to clinch the other semifinal berth in the lower half of the draw against the winner in the Patricia Barredo-Gelita Castilo matchup being played at presstime.