Castillo, Vivas out to retain Nat’l Open titles

Gelita Castillo sets out to keep the women’s singles crown while Paul Vivas tries to duplicate his victories last year in the doubles and mixed doubles events as the Bingo Bonanza National Open badminton tournament fires off Tuesday at Rizal Memorial Badminton Hall.

Timothy Alvar faces Arsen Alvarez at the 9 a.m. opener before Christian Sioson and Renz Lumabay cross paths in the first two men’s singles matches of the weeklong tourney which will stake ranking points.

The women’s singles matches also take centerstage with Mariya Sevilla getting a crack at Klowie Garcia, Jessica Muljati meeting Irish Molina, Mae Pomar dueling with Shane Salvador and Jennifer Cayetano colliding with Maridel Rivera.

Sanctioned by the Philippine Badminton Association, this year’s National Open will showcase the rising stars in the sport as well as a slew of Indonesian players. It also marks the second straight year that Bingo Bonanza is sponsoring the event’s revival.

In the mixed doubles matches, JC Clarito and Almira Ramos of Yappies Badminton Group tangle with PBA-Smash mainstay Ronel Estanislao and Indonesian Marissa Vita, Joper Escueta and Indonesian Keshya Hanadia meets Vince Lagnada and Mae Pomar of FEU/Equiparco-BBC, while Sidney de Jesus and Fatima Cruz of Meralco take on Carlos Cayanan and Alyssa Geveruan of PBA-Smash.

Also scheduled is the match pitting the pairs of Mike Minuluan-Indonesian Minarti Timur and Gines Alvare-Marie Lucas.

Action in the meet backed by Gatorade, Glorietta, Smash Pilipinas and Philippine Olympic Committee, goes full throttle tomorrow as the survivors fight for quarterfinal berths at Glorietta 5 Atrium in Makati.