Filipino shuttlers face tough task in RP Badminton Open

Tremendous odds face Filipino shuttlers going in the first Bingo Bonanza Philippine Open Badminton Championships.
       But expect local badminton fans to be clear winners in the first four-star tournament sanctioned by the International Badminton Federation, with Filipinos getting the rare chance to see the world’s top-ranked players compete in the flesh beginning today at the PhilSports Arena.
      Among the players vying for a chunk of the $120,000 (P6.6 million) prize money are women’s world No. 4 and Swiss Open champion Xu Huaiwen, and men’s singles favorites Hafiz Hashim and Beng Hong Kuan of Malaysia, Wei Ng of Hong Kong and Boonsak Ponsana of Thailand.
      The Philippines is fielding in a full roster in the event, including world No. 69 and brother-sister tandem of Kennevic and Kennie Asuncion, who will be out to foil the bid of the fancied Thai pairs of Prapakamol-Thoungthongkam and Songphon Anukritayawon-Voravichitchaikul, ranked Nos. 11 and 12, respectively, in the world, in the mixed doubles.
      Kennevic, listed a far 231st in the world, is also heading the RP team’s 13-man roster in men’s singles, where the likes of Wally Fernandez, Arolas Amahit Jr., Jaime Junio, Kelvin Ang, Christopher Flores, Wilson Frias, Ben Jonas Garcia, Marlon Villarin, Rodel Bartolome and Alfredo Mailon chase world-ranking points.
      The other local bets are Lloyd Escodes and Mark Alvin Natividad, who are 487 and 614 in the world, respectively. Zenaida Dadacay