Escueta, Alcala rule PH Open badminton

PHILIP Jofer Escueta and Malvinne Ann Venice Alcala took different routes to the men’s and women’s open titles of  the Philippine National Open-Ming Ramos Youth Camp badminton championships Friday night at the Rizal Memorial Badminton Hall.

Escueta, the 18-year-old veteran of the national team, engaged defending champion and top seed Paul Jefferson Vivas in a prolonged match before wresting the crown with a 21-15, 17-21, 21-16 triumph.

Nursing a swollen right knee, Alcala plodded along and rarely launched attacks but still proved too much for Descka Calimlim to take the women’s singles title with a 28-26, 21-18 win.

Earlier, she paired with Ronel Estanislao to clinch the open mixed doubles crown over Gerald Sibayan and Rochelle Reyes, 21-14, 17-21, 21-12.

Escueta, last year’s semifinalist who said he wanted to eventually become a top-ranked player in the world even in doubles, came back later in the evening to  also pull off a golden double.

He paired with Peter Gabriel Magnaye to turn back Ronel Estanislao and Vivas, 21-18, 21-17, in the men’s doubles championship.

Escueta and Alcala pocketed P40,000 each for their singles wins, plus a  share of the P40,000 purse for the doubles crowns.

National youth team’s Lance Bautista and Theodore Co downed teammates Carlos Cayanan and Gerlad Sibayan, 21-14, 23-21, for the boys’ doubles 19-under top plum.

John Kenneth Monterubio thrwarted 12-year-old wonder Mark Shelley Alcala to take the boys’ under-19 singles title.

But Alcala, the brother of Malvinne Ann Venice, consoled himself with the crown in the boys’ 17-under singles after beating Carlo Glenn Remo, 21-18,21-15, and the boys’ under-15 doubles title with Kenneth Cuden.

Sharing the spotlight by bagging titles were Miguel Pangilinan, Jocelle Alvarez, Marina Caculitan, Joella Geva de Vera, Qian Xi Orillaneda, Keeyan Gabuelo, Daryl Yang, Vincent Rafael Manuel and Alvin Morada.