Most badminton enthusiasts in the Philippines do not know anything about what is happening in the sport outside the country. Do you know that the Philippines sent a team to join the 2009 Sudirman Cup? They are showing good results in the Sudirman Cup. 3-1 in their group. To be honest, we do not even know what is happening within our nation’s badminton community.

What is the Sudirman Cup? Here’s the Wikipedia entry:

Sudirman Cup is the world mixed team badminton championship which takes place every two years. There are five matches in every round: men and women’s singles, men and women’s doubles and mixed doubles. The Cup is named after Dick Sudirman, a former Indonesian badminton player and the founder of the Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI). The first Sudirman Cup tournament took place in Bung Karno Stadium, Central Jakarta, Indonesia on May 24-May 29, 1989.

There is no prize money in Sudirman Cup; players play for their respective countries and to earn BWF world ranking points and national prestige.

The 2009 edition is held in Guangzhou, China from May 10-17, 2009. The teams are bracketed according to their past performances. Normally, only those in the Bracket 1A have the chance of bringing the trophy. This is the 11th edition of the event, and Team China garnered 6 of the past trophies, while Indonesia and Korea shared two each.

What about the Philippine Badminton Team?

The Philippines was able to send a team by virtue of its ranking and, certainly, its performance in the past years. This is probably the first time in two decades. That I do not know. We’re in Group 4A along with Turkey, South Africa, Luxembourg and Switzerland. As of today, we won 4-1 against South Africa, but bowed 4-1 against the Swiss team. Not bad a performance. To be promoted, the team has to top Group 4. To reach Group 1 is a long way to go. Here is the list of our players:

Male players
1. Asuncion, Kennevic
2. Babad, Andrei
3. Estanislao, Ronel
4. Gadi, Antonino Benjamin
5. Natividad, Mark Alvin
6. Vivas, Paul Jefferson

Female players
1. Alcala, Malvinne Ann Venice
2. Asuncion, Kennie
3. Castillo, Gelita
4. Velez, Karyn Cecilia

Update on Philippines vs Luxembourg (May 12 Results)
Philippines won: 4-1

Kennevic Asuncion & Kennie Asuncion def. Hengen/Schroeder: 21-10, 21-7
Antonino Gadi def. Speltz: 21-3, 21-7
Paul Jefferson Vivas & Ronel Estanislao def. Michels/Mellers: 21-5, 21-13
Barnig def. Malvinne Anne Alcala: 21-15, 15-21, 21-19
Karyn Cecilia Velez & Gelita Castilo def. Schroeder/Weides: 21-9, 21-15

Update (May 14 Results): Philippines vs. Turkey
Philippines won: 5-nil

Kennevic Asuncion & Kennie Asuncion def. Mustafa Yalvareci & Elif Oz: 21-7, 21-8
Antonino Gadi def. Mehmet Tural: 17-21, 21-10, 21-14
Karyn Cecilia Velez def. Ezgi Epice : 21-16, 21-10
Kennevic Asuncion & Paul Jefferson Vivas def. Mehmet Tural & Ali Kaya: 18-21, 21-18, 21-12
Kennie Asuncion & Gelita Castilo def. Ezgi Epice & Oznur Caliskan: 21-11, 21-11

Update (May 15 results): Philippines vs. Portugal
“Play off” for 2nd place in Group 4
Philippines won: 3-2

Pedro Martins def. Antonino Benjamin Gadi: 21-16, 21-17
Telma Santos def. Malvinne Anne Alcala: 21-15, 21-15
Kennevic Asuncion & Ronel Estanislao def. Pedro Martins & Fernando Silva: 16-21, 21-13, 21-16
Kennie Asuncion & Gelita Castilo def. Ana Moura & Helena Pestana: 22-20, 21-12
Kennevic Asuncion & Kennie Asuncion def. Hugo Rodriquez & Telma Santos: 21-15, 21-11

I think only the Asuncion siblings here are the veterans while the rest are on their teens, or barely out of their teens. These young shuttlers can take the breath out of us if we decide to take any of them in a singles match-up. I dare not challenge even the youngest of them.

But for us enthusiasts, who have no chance of joining tourneys locally and internationally, may we rally behind our country’s top players and may they, too, improve their international rankings.

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