FILE: THIRD PLACE. Robert Garcia (second from left) finished third in the men’s singles event of the 2nd Singha International Squash Thailand Open Championships which was held on September 27-30 in Chonburi. From left are coach Edgar Balleber, Garcia, Jemyca Aribao and Reymark Begornia. (Contributed photo via PNA)
MANILA — Robert Garcia finished third in the men’s singles event of the 2nd Singha International Squash Thailand Open Championship that ended Sunday at the Ambassador Jomtien Resort in Chonburi, Thailand.
Garcia, seeded No. 6 in the tournament, won over fourth-ranked Guhan Senthikumar of India, 11-8, 12-10, 6-11, 9-11, 11-9 play-off for third and fourth places.
Garcia lost to eventual champion Sanjay Singh Chal of Malaysia, 9-11, 11-4, 7-11, 8-11, in the semifinal round. The Filipino won over Timothy Arnold of Malaysia, 11-7, 11-8, 11-7, in the quarterfinal.
Chal, seeded No. 7, won the title over compatriot and top seed Elvinn Keo of Malaysia, 11-8, 8-11, 6-11, 12-10, 15-13. He defeated Chris Lo of Hong Kong, 11-8, 11-8, 12-14, 11-9, in the quarterfinal.
Keo, the world’s No. 165 player, advanced to the championship round after posting a 15-13, 11-8, 8-11, 11-9 victory over fourth seed Guhan Senthikumar of India in the semifinal. He beat Tomatako Endo of Japan in the quarterfinal.
In the women’s singles category, world’s No. 47 and tournament top seed Satomi Watanabe of Japan demolished second seed Rachel Arnold of Malaysia, 11-4, 11-5, 11-5 to win the title.
Watanabe downed Thailand’s No. 1 player, Anantana Prasetratanakul, 11-4, 11-7, 11-7 in the quarterfinal before carving out a hard-earned victory over fourth seed Filipino Jemyca Aribado, 10-12, 11-6, 11-2, 11-8, in the semifinal.
Arnold outplayed third seed Vanessa Cu of Hong Kong, 11-3, 12-14, 13-11, 8-11, 13-11, in the semifinal round. In the quarterfinal, she beat seventh seed Yuliana Catur of Singapore, 11-3, 11-6, 11-4.
Cu, who won over sixth seed Janet Vidih of India, 112, 11-3, 11-0 in the quarterfinal, went on to finish third place after beating Aribado, 11-5, 11-6, 11-8.
Aribado prevailed over fifth seed Wai Yhann Au Yeong of Singapore, 8-11, 10-12, 11-6, 11-5, 12-10, to reach the semifinal round.
Reymark Begornia, who lost to Singh, 3-11, 10-12, 5-11 in the second round, finished sixth.
The Philippine team was headed by national coach and Philippine Squash Association Board member Edgar Balleber, who is also the only Filipino referee accredited by the Southeast Asia Squash Federation and Asian Squash Federation.
