Bronze Match Defeat Provides Valuable International Lessons
Danna Abad and Joshea Malazarte finished fourth after Indonesia swept them in the Asian Games women’s padel bronze match. The Filipinas later described the experience as motivation for additional training following padel’s inaugural appearance at the continental Games.
Indonesia Sweeps Filipinas in Padel Bronze Match
Paolo Ambat of One Sports covered the Filipinas’ bronze-match defeat at Nagoya City Higashi Sports Center on Saturday. Indonesia’s Beatrice Gumulya and Novela Putria defeated Abad and Malazarte 6-0, 6-0 to secure the women’s bronze medal.
The result ended a Philippine campaign that had reached the final four during padel’s first Asian Games tournament. Abad and Malazarte finished outside the medals after facing Indonesian opposition in both their semifinal and bronze-medal matches.
Image from: padelfip / Instagram
Gumulya, Putria Complete Straight-Set Victory
Gumulya and Putria won both sets without conceding a game, completing Indonesia’s 6-0, 6-0 victory over the Philippine tandem. The result secured bronze for Indonesia while leaving Abad and Malazarte fourth during their first Asian Games campaign.
Abad Acknowledges Gap After Bronze-Medal Defeat
Abad acknowledged the difference between the two pairs following the straight-set defeat against Gumulya and Putria in Nagoya. Rather than minimizing the result, she identified additional training as her immediate takeaway following the Filipinas’ final tournament appearance.
“Tough loss talaga. Iba talaga yung level nila. Sobrang layo talaga. But for now, iniisip lang namin na training pa, training pa, training pa,” noted Abad.
Her comments provided firsthand context for the development lessons Abad and Malazarte drew from competing against experienced international opponents. The 6-0, 6-0 result also provided a measurable benchmark from their final match at the inaugural Asian Games tournament.
Filipina Turns Attention Toward Additional Training
Abad responded to the bronze-match defeat by repeatedly emphasizing training rather than offering excuses for the straight-set result. Her comments placed the development assessment with the athlete herself instead of relying on outside interpretations of the competitive difference.
Malazarte Points to Indonesian International Experience
Malazarte also focused on the Indonesian pair’s international experience when assessing what the Filipinas learned during their medal pursuit. She specifically referenced their opponents’ participation in FIP tournaments while explaining why the Asian Games provided an important competitive benchmark.
“For us, it’s really important na yung nakalaban namin is world-class na din. Like, they’ve been playing FIP tournaments for the past nine years na, and ito yung nagiging eye-opener namin na even though we train or something, we have to keep pushing more,” admitted Malazarte.
Malazarte’s comments framed international competition as an important part of the lessons she carried from the Asian Games campaign. Her assessment followed consecutive medal-round matches against Indonesian pairs after the Philippines had advanced through a three-set quarterfinal.
Asian Games Provides Firsthand Development Benchmark
Malazarte described the Indonesian opposition as a benchmark after facing players she said possessed extensive experience in international FIP competition. Her comments connected the tournament’s competitive level directly with the additional development she believes the Philippine pair must pursue.
Philippine Pair Reaches Semifinals After Iran Victory
Abad and Malazarte reached the women’s semifinals by defeating Iran’s Saba Najafi Dehaghi and Neda Mohammad Taghipour in three sets. The Filipinas won 6-2, 3-6, 6-2, advancing into the medal rounds during padel’s inaugural Asian Games competition.
Indonesia’s Fitriani Sabatini and Fadona Kusumawati then defeated the Philippine tandem 6-0, 6-0 during Friday’s semifinal in Nagoya. That result moved the Filipinas into Saturday’s bronze match, where another Indonesian pair ended their campaign in straight sets.
Consecutive Indonesian Pairs End Philippine Medal Campaign
The Philippines followed its three-set quarterfinal victory over Iran with consecutive 6-0, 6-0 defeats against Indonesian tandems. Sabatini and Kusumawati won the semifinal before Gumulya and Putria defeated Abad and Malazarte for the bronze medal.
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Malazarte Urges Patience With Philippine Padel Growth
Malazarte placed the Philippine pair’s development into perspective by referencing Hidilyn Diaz’s long journey toward an Olympic weightlifting championship. She used Diaz as an example while discussing the patience required as Philippine padel builds experience through international competition.
“Gawin ko lang example si Hidilyn Diaz nga. [12] years in the making bago niya nakuha yung gold niya sa Olympics,” started Malazarte.
Malazarte also noted that padel itself was making its Asian Games debut while the Philippine playing community remained relatively young. Her comments emphasized gratitude for competing in Nagoya rather than treating the fourth-place finish as the campaign’s only measure.
“And paano pa kaya kami na this is the first Asian Games for padel and very new pa lang din yung community ng padel sa Pilipinas. So we’re just really grateful nandito kami today,” she added.
Padel Makes Asian Games Debut in Aichi-Nagoya
Aichi-Nagoya marked padel’s first appearance on the Asian Games program, creating the sport’s inaugural continental medal competition. Abad and Malazarte reached the women’s final four during that debut before finishing fourth after consecutive losses to Indonesian pairs.
Philippine Men’s Pair Reaches Quarterfinals
Jason Lapidus and Argil Canizares also reached the quarterfinals during the Philippines’ first Asian Games campaign in men’s padel. Malaysia’s Christian Chin and Aidan Yunus eventually defeated the Filipino tandem 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 at Nagoya City Higashi Sports Center.
The match lasted one hour and 47 minutes, with the Philippines responding after dropping the opening set against Malaysia. Chin and Yunus regained control in the deciding frame, ending Lapidus and Canizares’ campaign before the men’s semifinals.
Malaysia Wins Three-Set Men’s Quarterfinal
Malaysia captured the opening set 6-3 before Lapidus and Canizares answered by taking the second frame by the same score. Chin and Yunus then won the deciding set 6-3, completing the three-set quarterfinal after 107 minutes of competition.
Industry Analysis: A Debut Worth Building On
The Philippine women’s campaign produced a semifinal appearance after Abad and Malazarte survived Iran during their three-set quarterfinal encounter. Consecutive straight-set losses against Indonesian pairs then established the results separating their quarterfinal breakthrough from an inaugural Asian Games medal.
The men’s campaign also reached the quarterfinals, where Lapidus and Canizares pushed Malaysia into a deciding third set before elimination. Together, those results provide measurable baselines from the Philippines’ first Asian Games padel campaign without predicting future continental medal outcomes.
Source Note: One Sports reporting by Paolo Ambat provides Abad and Malazarte’s post-match reactions and reflections on their Asian Games campaign. International Padel Federation records and regional reporting support the medal-round results, tournament opponents, and Philippine men’s quarterfinal result.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Abad and Malazarte win an Asian Games padel medal?
Abad and Malazarte finished fourth after Indonesia defeated them 6-0, 6-0 during the women’s Asian Games bronze-medal match.
Who defeated Abad and Malazarte in the bronze match?
Indonesia’s Beatrice Gumulya and Novela Putria defeated the Philippine tandem in straight sets during the women’s bronze-medal contest.
Who defeated the Filipinas in the Asian Games semifinals?
Indonesia’s Fitriani Sabatini and Fadona Kusumawati defeated Abad and Malazarte 6-0, 6-0 before advancing into the women’s championship match.
How did Abad and Malazarte reach the semifinals?
The Filipinas defeated Iran’s Saba Najafi Dehaghi and Neda Mohammad Taghipour 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 during their women’s quarterfinal.
How did the Philippine men’s padel pair perform?
Lapidus and Canizares reached the quarterfinals before Malaysia defeated them 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 in a 107-minute three-set match.
Disclaimer: Headline Image from onesportsphl on Instagram.
