Ian Paolo Villacencio

The 2025 Philippine Badminton Open erupted into a festival of grit and legacy on its final day, as three-peats were staged and opened up new milestones.

Mika De Guzman and the tandem of Lea Inlayo and Nicole Albo etched history with rare championship hat-tricks, in the final day of the aforementioned tourney on July 12.

Photos Courtesy of Philippine Badminton Association.

De Guzman once again showed her championship pedigree, dismissing Christel Rei Fuentespina, 21-13, 21-18, to clinch her third straight women’s singles crown. 

She also had a near-flawless tournament run—dropping only one set en route to the title, evident to her past successes as one of the best players in Philippine badminton industry.

Meanwhile, the Inlayo-Albo duo had their own three-peat, but the path was far from smooth. Andrea Hernandez and Mary Destiny Untal stole the first set, 21-19, before the champions rallied behind Albo’s net mastery and Inlayo’s explosive baseline returns to reverse the tide, 21-15, 21-16.

For men's singles, defending champion Jewel Albo completed his own narrative as he earned back-to-back titles after again fending off top seed Clarence Villaflor, 21-17, 21-17, in a high-octane rematch.

The men’s doubles final was a redemption arc wrapped in adrenaline. Solomon Padiz Jr. and Julius Villabrille, after falling short last year, finally got their moment, pulling off a wild 29-27 first set before finishing the job, 21-17, against the formidable Alvin Morada-Christian Bernardo tandem.

On the other hand, a pulsating three-setter won by Airah Albo and Julius Villabrille—both of whom doubled their medal haul with this maiden title, after they held off Untal and Padiz Jr., 21-17, 18-21, 21-14, in mixed doubles division. 

Rounding out the event was the mixed doubles final, where Airah Albo and Julius Villabrille secured their first title together in a gritty three-setter. They held off Untal and Padiz Jr., 21-17, 18-21, 21-14, with a composed third set that capped off their medal-winning run.

Featuring five championship matches across all divisions, the final day showcased both seasoned titleholders and rising stars, signaling the deepening pool of talent in Philippine badminton. With the sport’s competitive fire burning stronger than ever, these performances marked a defining chapter in the local badminton scene.