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| (Image Source: Tiebreaker Times/Philippine Badminton Association) |
The Philippine Badminton Association (PBAD) proudly announces the upcoming Philippine Badminton Open 2024, slated to be held on June 5-11, 2024. Organized by the Philippine Badminton Association (PBAD) in collaboration with Smart Communications Inc. (Smart), Mizuno, and other esteemed partners, the Super 500 tournament promises thrilling matches and fierce competition featuring some of the country's top and promising badminton players. The qualifying rounds leading to the semifinals will unfold at the First Pacific Leadership Academy in Antipolo City on June 5-10, 2024 while the finals is slated to take place at the Gameville Ballpark in Mandaluyong City on June 11th.
According to PBAD President and MVP Sports Foundation (MVPSF) Executive Director Jude Turcuato, “The Philippine Badminton Open is the tournament that proves who the best of the best in the country is. Badminton is one of the sports that MVPSF identified where the Filipino can be a world-class athlete. Organizing tournaments like this will get our athletes busy as this tournament kicks off our local calendar.” This year, the tournament boasts a prize pool of Php1,000,000 across five divisions: men’s singles, women’s singles, men’s doubles, women’s doubles, and mixed doubles. Winners in the singles categories will receive Php100,000 for the champion, Php50,000 for the runner-up, and Php15,000 for the third- and fourth-placers. In the doubles tournaments, champions will take home Php120,000, runners-up Php60,000, and third and fourth-placers Php30,000 each. PBAD Head of Development Melvin Nubla highlighted the significance of the event, stating, “This tournament is a Super 500 tournament, meaning it will have huge implications not just in the national rankings but also identify who can be part of the national team.”
Badminton aficionados and sports enthusiasts can catch the action live on the official Facebook pages of Smart Sports, Puso Pilipinas, and the Philippine Badminton Association (PBAD). Smart's Assistant Vice President for Sports Christopher Quimpo emphasized the significance of badminton in the company’s endeavors, stating, “In recent years, badminton has experienced significant growth, with several national team players achieving success in international tournaments. This includes Mika De Guzman’s recent triumph in Kazakhstan. Smart is dedicated to nurturing and developing both current and future members of our national team through events like the Philippine Badminton Open.” Additionally, Cignal will broadcast the knockout stages of the tournament, following a recent partnership sealed at the Cignal Customer Experience Center at Launchpad.
PBAD Secretary-General Carla Lizardo-Sulit extended gratitude to all supporters of the Philippine Badminton Open, including Smart, Cignal, mWell, Mizuno, and MVP Sports Foundation, emphasizing the importance of their contribution to elevating the sport. Lizardo-Sulit remarked, “As a badminton player myself, I am thrilled to see the support the sport is finally getting. This tournament would not be possible without the unwavering support of our partners." In the previous edition of the Philippine Badminton Open, Marc Velasco and Mika De Guzman won the singles competitions. Solomon Padiz Jr. and Julius Villabrille stunned their way to the men’s doubles crown while Nicole Albo and Lea Inlayo dominated the girls’ doubles tournament. Villabrille and Albo also won the mixed doubles tournament.
