The two pairs of the Philippine national team in the men’s and women’s doubles events split off after a mix of victories and defeats marked the contingent’s Day 2 of the individual events in the 30th Southeast Asian Games, Friday at the Muntinlupa Sports Complex.
With the day starting late in the afternoon this time, the competitors benefited from ample rest. Still, the Filipinos could not come up with a sweep of the matches at hand.
The Nationals made their mark on Court 3 after bagging two victories in the court in both the men’s and women’s doubles event.
Ariel Magnaye made up for his early exit in the mixed doubles, pairing up with Alvin Morada in a thriller over Sinagpore’s Danny Chrisnanta and Jun Liang Andy Kwek, 18-21, 21-19, 21-14, to move into the quarterfinals.
Thea Pomar also made amends after she and partner Alyssa Leonardo took care of another Singaporean pair. The Filipinas needed just two games to take down Hui Zhen Grace Chua and Khan Insriyah, 21-15, 21-12. The country’s top women’s duo also booked themselves a berth in the last eight.
The other pairs, though, went down in the round of 16. 2015 bronze medalist Joper Escueta and partner Paul Pantig suffered a heart-breaking loss from Thailand’s Kittisak Namdash and Nipitphon Phuanphuapet, 21-17, 16-21, 7-21. Geva De Vera and Chanelle Lunod then absorbed a similar sorry loss from Shinta Sari and Jia Wong at 21-17, 17-21, 8-21.
Quarterfinals of all the events — men’s singles, women’s singles, men’s doubles, and women’s doubles — are scheduled on Saturday, December 7, starting at 3 p.m.
