Header Ads Widget

PH's bid in Badminton Asia Team Championships ends in QF exit to Indonesia

Ros Pedrosa put up a gallant stand against world number five Anthony Ginting.
By Ivan Saldajeno

MANILA--The Philippines' quest in the Badminton Asia Team Championships came to an end on Friday as Indonesia swept its men's team, 3-0, in the quarterfinals at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

The Indons showed why they are ranked number three in the world as a team by stomping their class over the hosts.

In the first match of the series, Anthony Ginting defeated Ros Pedrosa in straight sets, 21-10, 21-16.

Ginting, ranked fifth in the world, made quick work of Pedrosa, the top ranked Filipino badminton player right now, in Set 1.

Pedrosa put up a gallant stand in the second set, keeping it close with Ginting for most of the set until the latter finally zoomed ahead late in the period.

On the other hand, the pair of Hendra Setiawan and Mohammad Ahsan took down the tandem of Peter Magnaye and Alvin Morada in straight sets, 21-16, 21-12, in the first doubles match.

Magnaye and Morada, the top ranked Filipino men's double team but is currently ranked 186th in the world, actually had a chance to stun Setiawan and Ahsan, ranked second in the world, in Set 1, even taking the lead at some points of the set.

But crucial errors proved to be costly for Magnaye and Morada as Setiawan and Ahsan eventually escaped, and the Indonesian team took control of Set 2 to complete the doubles sweep.

Jonatan Christie, the seventh ranked men's singles player, finished the job by downing Lanz Zafra, 21-11, 21-14.

Christie dominated Zafra in Set 1, and although Zafra finally got things going in Set 2, Chrstie was just too much.

Follow him on Twitter: @IvanSaldajeno