Philippines racket-wielders drop tight tie versus Singapore side, settle for bronze

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines absorbed a stinging 2-3 setback to Singapore in the mixed team event semifinals of the fifth Southeast Asian Squash Cup Championships at the Kerry Sports courts inside the Shangri-la Hotel at the Fort in Taguig City late Friday night.

With the best-of-5 tie knotted at 2-all, David Pelino suddenly lost his grip to Singapore’s Benedict Chan, who fashioned a come-from-behind 8-11, 11-2, 13-11, 11-2 win in the deciding fifth and final match, booking a ticket  in the finals scheduled later yesterday in the tourney organized by the Philippine Squash Academy.

In a rematch of Group B semifinalists, the Singaporeans were to tangle with the Malaysians in the competition supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee and the MVP Sports Foundation. 

It was a heartbreaking end for the Kayod Pilipinas campaigners, who had scrambled back into contention on the heroics of Robert Garcia and men’s individual champion Reymark Garcia after dropping the first two women’s singles matches.

The Singaporeans opened the series with Sneha Sivakumar blanking Yvonne Alyssa Dalida, 11-7, 11-5, 11-4 after which compatriot Aue Yeong Wai Yhan took down ailing Jemyca Aribado, 11-3, 5-11, 13-11, 11-6, to give them a 2-0 lead.

But Garcia kept their championship hopes alive in rallying past Timothy Leong, 12-14, 11-5, 11-3, 11-3, then Begornia outlasted Chua Man Chin, 9-11, 11-6, 8-11, 11-2, 11-4, equalizing the count at 2-all.