Clarence Villaflor continued his impressive run by advancing to the quarterfinals of the men’s singles after scoring a convincing 21-18, 21-13 victory over Thailand’s Tanawat Yimjit on Day 3 of the Philippine International Challenge 2026, presented by the Philippine Sports Commission, on Thursday at Gameville Central Park in Mandaluyong City.
The current World No. 122 had to rally from an 18-16 deficit in the opening set, stringing together five straight points to seize the momentum and take a crucial one-set advantage.
With confidence on his side, Villaflor dictated the pace in the second set, neutralizing Yimjit’s attempts to shorten rallies. The Filipino shuttler turned a 16-10 lead into a dominant 21-13 finish to complete the Round of 16 sweep in the tournament backed by the MVP Sports Foundation, Smart, PLDT, Yonex, Sunrise, Maynilad, Cignal, MWell, Jollibee, Milksha, and Telescoop.
“Siguro po, una, adjustment talaga since bago ko pa lang siya nakalaban. ‘Yung una ko pong ginawa is pasok lang po muna ‘yung bola, tsaka basahin ko po ‘yung ginagawa niya. Kinuha ko muna ‘yung momentum na maka-rally, tapos sinabayan ko na rin po ng fast ball,” said the World Championships-bound shuttler.
Already a bronze medalist at this level after his podium finish in the Azerbaijan International Challenge last February, the 22-year-old Smash Pilipinas standout hopes to keep the home crowd cheering in the country’s first-ever staging of the tournament, which has attracted participants from 28 countries with support from the National Sports Tourism Inter-Agency Committee.
“Isa po ‘yun sa factor sa ‘kin, ‘yung suporta ng Pilipinas ngayon. Talagang grabe, naririnig ko po ‘yung sigawan, ‘yung palakpakan nila. Sobrang happy ako kasi halos lahat andito, lahat po sumusuporta,” Villaflor added.
Standing in his way of repeating that same feat of making the final four is fourth-seed Alap Mishra of India, a 21–13, 21–16 winner against compatriot Samarveer Samarveer.
(C) PBAD
Villaflor’s triumph came after Julius Villabrille and Solomon Padiz Jr. pulled off a thrilling 21-23, 21-19, 21-16 comeback victory over Thailand’s Neauadang Mangkornloi and Andrew Newman in the men’s doubles Round of 16.
The Filipino pair will next face Malaysians Bryan Jeremy Goonting and Muhammad Haikal in the quarterfinals, with a semifinal berth and a guaranteed podium finish on the line.
Mary Destiny Untal and Andrea Princess Hernandez nearly made it three Filipino entries in the quarterfinals but fell to Japan’s Moe Aoki and Hina Osawa, 23-21, 15-21, 16-21, in the women’s doubles Round of 16.
Meanwhile, India’s Manraj Singh and Thailand’s Tidaporn Kleebyeesung continued their title bids by advancing as the highest remaining seeds in the men’s and women’s singles draws, respectively.
Second-seeded Singh cruised past Malaysia’s Darrel Sen Xian Chew, 21-11, 21-9, to set up an all-Indian quarterfinal showdown against Aryamann Tandon, who defeated Malaysia’s Muhammad Hazi, 21-12, 21-12.
On the women’s side, top seed Kleebyeesung dispatched fellow Thai Nathida Buramart, 21-9, 21-12, in the Round of 16. She will face Indonesia’s Dalila Aghnia Puteri, who swept Vietnam’s Bui Bich Phuong, 21-3, 21-11, for a place in the semifinals.
Selected matches are available live and free on the PusoP.Com website and app. Fans can also catch the action on the Smart Sports Facebook and YouTube pages, as well as the Pilipinas Live app.
