Smash Pilipinas head coach Rosman Razak was happy with what he witnessed during the recent MVP Second Badminton Cup at the Olympic Badminton Center in Ugong, Pasig.
Despite local shuttlers not being able to play over the past two years due to COVID-19 pandemic, Razak was pleased with not just the turnout but also the performances of the players.
“I think it’s a great tournament, especially for the players,” said Razak, who was hired by the Philippine Badminton Association last October. “It has been so long already that we don’t have a tournament. Now, it’s the time for them to have a tournament and it’s a really good showing from them.”
He cited national team players Ros Pedrosa (men’s singles champion), Thea Pomar and Nicole Albo (women’s doubles champions), and Solomon Padiz Jr. and July Villabrille (men’s doubles champions).
But what surprised the Malaysian tactician was the next generation saying, “I think especially from the youngsters because you can see all the youngsters really play so well in this tournament.”
Impressing Razak the most were 20-year-old Mika De Guzman of Ateneo and 23-year-old Jaja Andres of UP — both of whom faced off in the women’s singles finals with De Guzman winning, 21-14, 21-17.
Also catching the eye of the two-time Southeast Asian Games silver medalist were men’s singles runner-up Jewel Albo, 18; women’s doubles specialist Susmita Ramos, 20; and men’s singles fourth placer Mark Anthony Velasco, 20.