Ateneo dominates to open title defense

c/o UAAP

UAAP Season 87 Men's Badminton Standings

Ateneo 1-0

NU 1-0

UP 1-0

AdU 0-1

DLSU 0-1

UST 0-1

Ties on Sunday

Men's: 8 a.m. - Ateneo vs DLSU / AdU vs UST / NU vs UP

Women's: 1 p.m. - Ateneo vs DLSU / AdU vs UST / UP vs NU

ATENEO de Manila University opened its title-retention bid in dominant fashion, sweeping Adamson University 5-0 on the first day of the qualifying round of the UAAP Season 87 Men's Badminton tournament, held on Saturday at the Rizal Memorial Badminton Hall in Manila.

Reigning MVP Lyrden Laborte teamed up with rookie Robbie Ramos to propel the Blue Eagles to the early lead with a commanding win over the Soaring Falcons' Noel Hernandez and Gabriel Gamoy in the first doubles match, 21-18, 21-11, in just 31 minutes of action.

Laborte and Ramos had to fend off a determined Adamson pair in the opening set, which saw Adamson close the gap to 13-15, before the Ateneo duo pulled away. The second set was more one-sided, with a five-point run that stretched their lead to 19-9, sealing the match.

"I'm happy that we started the season with good wins. Okay naman, considering we're using a venue that we haven't used for quite a while, so ang ano natin is how the draft is. So far, OK naman and the players are adjusting well, so happy naman kami," said head coach Kennie Asuncion.

"Again, with the same approach na talagang every point is important. Every match kumbaga hindi pwede 'yung downtime. You always have to be on guard; you always have to be ready," added Asuncion, who is also the concurrent national program director, discussing the team's mindset moving forward.

Laborte, this season’s Ateneo captain, earlier kicked off the sweep with a commanding 19-minute victory over Adamson’s Kyrik Roldan in straight sets, 21-10, 21-7. Senior Arthur Salvado Jr., a fellow UAAP Season 86 MVP, doubled Ateneo’s advantage with a 21-17, 21-14 win over Nathan Acedillo.

Allen Penute and Charles Bagasbas showcased their clutch skills with a 21-18, 21-17 triumph over Julious Fontanilla and Acedillo in the second doubles rubber. Last year’s Rookie of the Year, Lance Vargas, then sealed the sweep with a 21-9, 21-8 rout of Jhon Dema-ano.

Meanwhile, National University and the University of the Philippines also secured 5-0 victories over De La Salle University and the University of Santo Tomas, respectively.

The two powerhouse teams, NU and UP, will clash on Sunday at 8 a.m. in the same venue.

Season 85 MVP Solomon Padiz Jr. and Nestojan Tapales clinched the win for the Bulldogs with a 37-minute battle against Green Shuttlers Yuan Tan and Miguel Cuarte, 21-17, 21-15, in the first doubles match.

Returning shuttler Enzo Rivera and rookie Mark Anthony Bernal of the Fighting Maroons stunned Golden Shuttlers Janzen Panisales and Ron Jacob Galve in the first doubles rubber, 21-11, 21-13, to secure their tie.

Lanz Zafra made a triumphant return to the league, dismantling Jason Pajarillo, 21-5, 21-10, placing the seven-time champions NU in control. The country's No. 3 men's singles player, Mark Velasco, extended NU's lead with a 21-13, 21-9 sweep over James Carl Capin.

Another returning Bulldog James Villarante, alongside former Blue Eagle Jeno Cariño, took the second doubles match for NU, 21-13, 21-16, over Zaki Layno and Joshua Morada. MJ Perez completed the sweep with a 21-18, 21-15 win over Joshua Fajilan.

Smash Pilipinas stalwart and third-year Fighting Maroon Jelo Albo also had a perfect day, beginning with a clinical 21-3, 21-14 victory over Lennox Cuilao in the first singles match and then mounting a thrilling comeback with Johann Abinales to defeat Cuilao and Bien Miraflor, 14-21, 22-20, 21-10, in the second doubles rubber.

Shan Clar and Charles Alcarpio added UP’s other victories in the first singles and third singles rubbers, respectively. Clar, a rookie, outlasted fellow freshman John Vincent Espinoza, 23-21, 21-17, while team captain Alcarpio rounded out the sweep by defeating Ivan Angelo Tuazon, 21-13, 21-15.

Ateneo will face archrival De La Salle in another highly anticipated showdown, while UST and Adamson will battle for their first win when qualifying round action resumes on Sunday at 8 a.m.