SOUTHEAST ASIAN GAMES: PHILIPPINES TRIPS SINGAPORE

** This NEW SHUTTLENWS REPORT is presented by badminton world champions YANG YANG (1987 and 1989) and ZHAO JIAN HUA (1991) and by YANG YANG BADMINTON PRODUCTS **

October 13, 1997 (NEW SHUTTLENWS) - The Philippines men's badminton team tripped up Singapore yesterday in the first round of the men's team event at the 19th SouthEast Asian Games being held in Jakarta, Indonesia. The Philippine squad beat the Singaporeans 3 matches to 2 and moved ahead into the semifinal stage.

Things began to look good for the Philippine men when Melvin Llanes surprised Singapore's number one, Tan Sian Peng, in the opening match. Llanes was a beaten man in the first game when he fell to Tan 8-15. But he clawed his way into contention in the second and outlasted Tan to win in a tiebreak 18-15. The Philippine player then outplayed a tiring Tan 15-9 in the decider to put his team ahead 1 match to none.

Ian Piencenaves then followed with a similiar come-from-behind victory over Tay Kuan Yang 10-15, 15-10 and 15-11.

Singapore posted its first match win when Patrick Lau Kim Pong beat 18-year old Kennevic Asuncion in yet another three-gamer 8-15, 15-4 and 15-8.

The second doubles decided which team would go forward to the semifinals. The Philippines fielded their veterans, 29-year old Naresh Ramnani and 33-year old Anthony Ave, to match up against Eric Law Wei Kwang and Kevin Lim Chee Soon. The selection paid off for the Philippines as Ramnani and Ave outfoxed and outplayed Law and Lim 15-11 and 15-10 to put the Philippines into the medal round.

Tan Sian Peng got a measure of revenge back against Melvin Llanes in the matchup of the two teams' top doubles pairs. Tan combined with Patrick Lau Kim Pong to defeat Llanes and Piencenaves 15-11 and 15-10. Tan's victory gave Singapore its second match win.

The Philippines now gets to play the mighty Indonesians in one of today's semifinals. With only 7 teams vying for the men's team title, the top-seeded Indonesians had a bye into the medal round and did not see action yesterday.

Malaysia, 5-0 winners over Vietnam, battles Thailand in the other men's team semifinal. Thailand beat Myanmar 4-1 in their match yesterday.

In the women's team event, Singapore turned the tables on the Philippines 3 matches to 2, while Malaysia whitewashed Vietnam 5-0.

In today's women's team semifinals, Singapore plays second-seeds Thailand and Malaysia faces top picks Indonesia.

Results from yesterday's matches:

MEN'S TEAM EVENT
First Round

Malaysia beat Vietnam 5-0
(Malaysian names first)
Ong Ewe Hock beat Nguyen Anh Hoang 15-7, 15-8
Yong Hock Kin beat Ho Van Loi 15-5, 15-5
Jason Wong beat Pham Le The Hung 15-3, 15-8
Chew Choon Eng/Lee Chee Leong beat Pham Le The Hung/Tran Quang Nhan 15-6, 15- 10
Tan Kim Her/Rosman Razak beat Nguyen Phu Chong/Ho Van Loi 15-1, 15-2

Philippines beat Singapore 3-2
(Philippine names first)
Melvin Llanes beat Tan Sian Peng 8-15, 18-15, 15-9
Ian Piencenaves beat Tay Kuan Yang 10-15, 15-10, 15-11
Kennevic Asuncion lost to (Patrick) Lau Kim Pong 15-8, 4-15, 8-15
Melvin Llanes/Ian Piencenaves lost to (Patrick) Lau Kim Pong/Tan Sian Peng 11-15, 10-15
Naresh Ramnani/Anthony Ave beat (Eric) Law Wei Kwang/(Kevin) Lim Chee Soon 15-11, 15-10

Thailand beat Myanmar 4-1

Thailand names first)
Apichai Teeraratsakul beat Lwin Aung 15-5, 18-16
Natapon Sarawan lost to Zaw Win 7-15, 6-15
Anupharp Teeraratsakul beat Lin Naing Oo 15-10, 10-15, 15-12
Pramote Teerawiwatana/Siripong Siripool beat Win Tun Thein/Zaw Win 15-5, 15-4
Khunakorn Sudhisodhi/Kitipon Kitikul beat Lwin Aung/Lin Naing Oo 15-7, 17-14

WOMEN'S TEAM EVENT
(First Round)

Malaysia beat Vietnam 5-0
(Malaysian names first)
Lee Yin Yin beat Lam Ai Thuy 11-3, 11-0
Ishwari Boopathy beat Pam Quynh Anh 11-0, 11-4
Woon Sze Mei beat Bui Kim Ha 11-5, 11-3
Chong Nga Fan/Ang Li Peng beat Nguyen Thi Thanh/Lam My Hanh 15-2, 15-4
Lee Yin Yin/Norashikin Amin beat Bu Kim Ha/Pham Quynh Anh 15-7, 15-6
Singapore beat Philippines 3-2
(Singapore names first)
Zarinah Abdullah beat Amparo Lim 11-3, 11-8
Chin Yeng Peng lost to Kennie Asuncion 8-11, 11-5, 4-11
Fatimah Lim Kumin beat Maria Elena Garcia 11-7, 11-1
Zarinah Abdullah/Fatima Lim Kumin lost to Amparo Lim/Kennie Asuncion 5-15, 6-15
Chin Yeng Peng/Lee Yue Zanetta beat Maria Elena Garcia/Mylene Delgado 15-7, 15-1

(migrossman)