KENNETH Monterubio and Nicole Albo settled for the silver medals, losing in straight sets to fancied foreign aces on Saturday in the FDG Cup Open and Invitational badminton tournament at Powersmash Badminton Center in Makati.
Top seed Des Adirangga of Indonesia downed Monterubio 21-19, 21-18 in the Open men’s singles finals, while power-hitting Lili Wang of China clobbered Albo 21-6, 21-10 in the women’s singles.
The 14th seeded Monterubio upended No. 10 Ros Pedrosa, 21-18, 16-21, 21-10, to seal a title clash with Adirangga, who thwarted R-Jay Ormilla, 23-21, 21-16, in the tournament sanctioned by the Philippine Badminton Association and held in honor of Robinsons Land Corp. president Frederick D. Go.
Monterubio earlier stunned No. 8 Kevin Cudiamat with his power game, 21-11, 21-11, to advance to the semis against Pedrosa, who subdued Kevin Dalisay, 21-12, 21-15.
Albo advanced to the finals when No. 2 Asifa Nur Farisma of Indonesia retired with the score at 21-16, 12-21, 20-12.
Wang also scored an abbreviated win over top seed Chiang Pei Hsin of Taiwan, who retired after taking the first set and the first point in the second frame, 18-21, 0-1.
Chinese former world No. 1s Wang Lin and Wang Xin displayed their skills in exhibition matches, with the former teaming up with Go and the latter with Philippine Badminton Association secretary general Albee Benitez. Go later partnered with Xin as they mixed it up with Lin and former national standout Kennevic Asuncion in the event held in partnership with Smart Live More, Smash Pilipinas, PNRS and Partners Cup, with Li-ning as the official shuttlecock.
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