By Roselyn B. Monroyo
Variety News Staff

THE undefeated tandems of Lito Mendoza/Ryan Achas and Macoi Aguda/Raj Jayalal square off for the Men’s A crown in the 2007 Traders Insurance/PTI Cup badminton tournament tonight at the Gilbert C. Ada Gym.
The pair of Mendoza and Achas and the duo of Aguda and Jayalal finished the elimination round with identical 3-0 records to advance to the finals.
Last Sunday, Mendoza and Achas played three games and swept their assignments. They beat Edwin Montoya/Roger Vales, 21-8, 21-10, Marconi Calindas/Jaime Lapus, 21-16, 21-17, and Hapi Gabriel and Raymond Togonon, 21-9, 21-14.
The pair of Jayalal and Aguda downed Lapus and Calindas last Saturday, 21-19, 21-15, tripped Montoya and Vales, 21-13, 21-11, and Gabriel and Togonan, 21-13, 21-17, last Sunday.
Gabriel and Togonon finished the tournament with a 2-2 record and settled for third. They won over Calindas and Lapus, 21-18, 21-19, and against Montoya and Vales, 21-10, 21-16.
In the Women’s C division finals, Camille Samonte and Deborah Fisher collide with Lea Estinopio and Rose Lazaro Samonte and Fisher are undefeated in two games, while Estinopio and Lazaro have a 2-1 record.
Lupe Sabino and Malou Mendoza already nailed the third place award as they finished the tournament with a 1-2 record. They posted their lone win against June Padua and Lherie Gallas, 22-20, 21-19.
In the Men’s B division, Emil De Belen and Robert Reyes advanced to the next round after posting a 3-0 record.
Four teams will be fighting for the remaining three semis berth. They are the tandems of Eric Pena/Alvin Alvarez (2-0), Hector Benitez/Saul Gargallo (1-2), Patric Fieldad/Jojo Lazaro (2-1), and Joseph Santos/Russel Salao (1-2).
Jason Junior and Aries Cordero moved into the next phase in the Men’s C division, as they were undefeated in three games.
Ariel Mariano and Narlou Achas, who have a 2-0 record, hope to advance to the semis, as they meet Chris Hilario and Efren Cacdac (1-1) tonight. Cacdac and Hilario will also face Ric Brien and Alex Guanco (0-1) today.
In the Women’s A/B, Cristy Villaflor and Loida Ito are in the semis with a 3-0 slate. Fighting for the last three spots are four pairs. Janis Parcon and Jinky De Belen have a 2-1 record and Janice Bungalos and Gigi Zapanta hold a 1-2 slate. The pair of Elma Labuson and Ingrid Sanchez and the duo of Shirley Kim and Diane Dar Juan have identical 1-1 records and will break the tie tonight.
Ingrid Sanchez and Jayalal are undefeated in the Mixed B division with a 2-0 record, while the pairs of Bungalos/Reyes, Parcon/Montoya and Fieldad and Cristy Villaflor are tied with identical 2-1 slates.
Sanchez and Jayalal face Calindas and Merlie Savellano tonight. If the former wins, the latter will be eliminated.
In the Mixed C division, only the pair of Deboarh Fisher and Milo Valdez (3-0) is assured of a slot in the next round.
Lea Estinopio and Ariel Mariano have a 2-1 record, while Padua and Sherwin Pasillos hold a 1-1 slate. Pasillos and Padua will face Sabino and Cacdac (2-0) tonight, while Samonte and Aries Cordero (1-2) take on Malou Mendoza and Narlou Achas.