JANELLE Pangilinan not only won the women’s singles crown of the 2021 CNMI Badminton National Championships, she also bagged the women’s doubles and mixed doubles titles Saturday at the TSL Sports Complex.
In the women’s doubles, Pangilinan and partner Jen Savellano blew through the competition and won the championship by defeating Hannah Choi and Michaella Serrano 21-19, 21-12.
Pangilinan and Savellano had a powerful start in the first set as they covered each other’s backs. Pangilinan was the main aggressor as she took the position near the net to deliver devastating smashes.
Whenever Choi and Serrano were able to defend, Pangilinan would mix up the pace with soft touches using the hairpin pin net shot to force her opponents to reply with a lob return which then allowed Pangilinan to score with smashes.
But Choi and Serrano managed to stay in the game despite their opponents’ onslaught.
Choi, in particular, excelled in strong overhead attacks, even from the end of the court.
Their persistency paid off late in the game as Pangilinan and Savellano started to lose focus and commit back-to-back errors, giving Choi and Serrano the chance to cut the deficit to just two points 19-17.
However, Pangilinan and Savellano went all out offensively once again, forcing Choi and Serrano to drop the shuttlecock as Pangilinan and Savellano claimed the first set 21-19.
In the second set, Pangilinan and Savellano established control early in the game and led by as much as six points 10-4.
Although Choi and Serrano regained rhythm later in the game, it was too late as Pangilinan and Savellano could not be stopped, winning the second set 21-12 to secure the women’s doubles title.
Before the championship match, Pangilinan and Savellano eliminated Miles Guerrero and Malou Malasarte 21-7, 21-11 while Choi and Serrano outplayed Jen Cardino and Lucelle Lampera 21-6, 21-15.
Mixed doubles
In the mixed doubles championship, Janelle Panglilinan and Nathan Guerrero bested Hannah Choi and Joseph Torres 21-12, 21-18.
The first set was Pangilinan and Guerrero’s strongest performance. Both were able to defend and attack as they took control early, leading by as much as six points.
As the match went on, their lead only grew larger as Choi and Torres failed to find their footing and went down in defeat 12-21.
In the second set, it was Choi and Torres’ time to shine.
Torres stayed at the frontline applying constant pressure with skilled smashes and smart placements while Choi covered the back side and shadowed Pangilinan and Guerrero throughout the exchanges.
Choi and Torres, however, could not deliver the final blow as they struggled to execute during the final few moments of play. For their part, Pangilinan and Guerrero seized the opportunity to seal victory, 21-18, and claim the mixed doubles title.
Men’s doubles
Although Torres fell short in the mixed doubles, he did not leave the tournament empty-handed as he and partner Jordan Pangilinan bagged the men’s doubles title by outlasting Daniel and Ezekiel Macario.
It was a fairly even match from start to finish with neither team able to gain the decisive edge.
Torres and Pangilinan excelled offensively but the Macarios were able to stand their ground and match up defensively to stay in the game.
In the first set, it came down to the wire with Torres and Pangilinan finally notching victory 22-20.
Torres and Pangilinan rode the momentum in the second set, but the Macarios played well and had an answer for nearly every incoming attack.
However, their small errors allowed Torres and Pangilinan to remain in the lead, eventually taking the final point needed to win the championship 21-15
Janelle Pangilinan attempts a high return during a semifinal game in the women’s doubles division of the CNMI Badminton National Championships at the TSL Sports Complex on Friday.
Nathan Guerrero steps forward as he goes for the back hand return during a mixed doubles match of the 2021 CNMI Badminton National Championships Friday at the TSL Sports Complex.
Jordan Pangilinan reaches out for the return during a men’s doubles match of the 2021 CNMI Badminton National Championships Friday at the TSL Sports Complex.
