SARAH Barredo swept all her games yesterday to pace the winners on the opening day of the MVP Second Badminton Cup at the Olympic Badminton Center in Pasig City.
Barredo closed out her day with a comfortable win past Anthea Marie Gonzalez 21-8, 21-13 to go undefeated in three matches. The National University senior earlier took down Christel Rei Fuentespina 21-6, 21-9 and dominated Angel Valle 21-13, 21-11 to lead the women’s singles race.
Barredo, 22, welcomed the chance to compete again after almost a year, adding: “Happy rin kasi nagkaroon kami ng tournament in preparation for the Southeast Asian Games.
“‘Yung preparation kasi namin since lockdown, ang dami ring hindrance for us to train. Pero at least nag-train ako ng maayos and I think prepared naman ako for this tournament,” she added.
A pair of fellow UAAP standouts — Jaja Andres and Mikaela De Guzman — joined Barredo, the UAAP Season 81 Rookie of the Year, atop the standings at 3-0.
Andres, of UP, defeated Valle 21-17, 21-10; Gonzalez 21-13, 21-13 and Fuentespina 21-12, 21-13 while Ateneo’s De Guzman started with a win over Gonzalez 21-17, 21-15, beat Fuentespina 21-8, 21-7, and Valle 21-8 (retired).
Ros Pedrosa and age-group standout Jewel Albo paced their group in the men’s singles as both went unscathed for the day.
Pedrosa blanked Jefferson Oba-ob, 21-10, 21-14 before going through the wringer over former La Salle stalwart Kenneth Monterubio 22-20, 21-16. Albo comfortably beat Jefferson Oba-ob 21-10, 21-13 and Robert Ishmael Ramos 21-8, 21-12.
Velasco scored a 21-23, 21-13 victory over Lance Vargas before sweeping JM Estrada 21-13, 21-14 while RJ Oba-ob outlasted Vargas in three 20-22, 21-16, 21-8 before closing the day’s action with a win over Clarence Villaflor 21-19.21-13.
