ANTIPOLO CITY — Julius Villabrille and Nicole Albo moved a step closer to securing back-to-back golden doubles after handling their multiple assignments on Day 4 of the 2024 Philippine Badminton Open on Saturday, June 8, at the First Pacific Leadership Academy (FPLA) here.
Albo, the UAAP Season 80 MVP, faced her final two assignments of the day in just under three hours, passing both her Round of 16 women’s doubles match with Lea Inlayo and her Round of 16 mixed doubles match with Villabrille.
The former De La Salle University standout teamed up with partner and close friend Lea Inlayo to bring down National University’s Andria Songcuan and Tia Bualat, 21-10, 21-9. She then played alongside Villabrille for a similar 21-9, 21-11 win over University of the Philippines’ Jason Vanzuela and Eanne Quiamco in this Philippine Super 500 tournament, sponsored by Smart, Mizuno, the Philippine Sports Commission, and the MVP Sports Foundation.
“It all boiled down to preparation. Pinaghandaan rin namin ‘to dahil malaking tournament ‘to and meron rin kaming title na kailangang i-defend,” said the 25-year-old Smash Pilipinas standout, who grew up in this very city.
Villabrille, a three-time champion with National University, teamed up with UAAP Season 85 MVP Solomon Padiz Jr. for a 21-6, 21-12 victory over Louise Gabriel Bernardino and Roaquine Mari Ramos in the Round of 16 of the men’s doubles competition, sponsored by Jollibee, Chowking, and the FPLA.
Albo and Inlayo will face UP upstarts Anthea Gonzalez and Sushmita Ramos, who won 21-3, 21-11 over Alexis Repetillo and Marionne De Dios, for a place in the semifinals. Villabrille and Padiz will battle their NU schoolmates John Benedict Gam and Marcjoel Clarence Perez for the same phase.
Albo and Villabrille will then face Zed Monterubio and Karyll Rio, also from NU, in the quarterfinals of the mixed doubles on Sunday, June 9.
Top seeds Rabie Jayson Oba-ob and Mika De Guzman paced the quarterfinalists in the men’s and women’s singles play in this tournament, also backed by Maynilad, MWell, and Cignal.
Former national team standout Oba-ob, who fended off University of Santo Tomas’ Lennox Cuilao, 21-14, 21-11, will stake his top ranking against UP’s Kervin Llanes, who secured a 21-15, 21-16 victory over Christian Paderon.
De Guzman, a three-time UAAP champion with Ateneo de Manila University, won a 21-15, 21-14 battle against UP’s Gonzalez. She will next face Khea Montañez, who won 21-4, 21-8 over Repetillo.
Places in the last four are up for grabs when the battle heats up on Sunday at the same Antipolo venue.
