Singapore Badminton Scene

Discussion in 'Professional Players' started by Loh, Jul 2, 2012.

  1. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    How Pullela Gopichand figured out Lin Dan both as a player and coach
    https://www.olympicchannel.com/en/s...pichand-lin-dan-retirement-parupalli-kashyap/


    Pullela Gopichand had a 2-1 win-loss record against Lin Dan and the Indian successfully carried forward that advantage when he became a coach.

    By Subhayan Dutta
    5 August 2020 23:14

    Former Indian badminton star and All England Open champion Pullela Gopichand has encountered Chinese legend Lin Dan both as a coach and a competitor and believes he had all the answers to handle the Chinese star’s bag of tricks.

    Lin Dan, a two-time Olympic champion and five-time World Champion retired from playing last month after winning a whopping 666 singles matches over his 20-year-long career, in which he managed to win every major title.

    Pullela Gopichand was at the dusk of his career when Lin Dan was emerging as a star and the two clashed only three times on-court before the Indian shuttler retired in 2002.

    Even though Gopichand led 2-1 in head-to-head against Lin Dan, the elder man could not stop admiring the traits Lin Dan demonstrated from a very young age.

    “When I played him for the first time, he was much younger, and like all other Chinese players of those times, he was extremely fast and powerful,” Pullela Gopichand told Firstpost.

    Though Lin Dan had upstaged Gopichand over three games (5-7, 1-7, 6-8) in their first meeting at the 2001 Singapore Open - when the seven-point format was prevalent - Gopichand drew level at the 2002 Japan Open, winning 7-3, 3-7, 7-5.
    Their third and last meeting took place at the 2002 Singapore Open. This time the experienced Gopichand upstaged Lin Dan in straight games (15-4, 15-2) in the 15-point format.

    “For me, the advantage was that I was very deceptive,” Gopichand said.

    “So, although I lost to him once in a seven-point format in a close match, I think I really dominated him in our next matches. He had no clue what was happening, thanks to my deception," Gopichand added.

    Decoding Lin Dan
    The second round of the Gopichand-Lin Dan rivalry began when the former moved into coaching, where he holds the role of Chief National Coach and led the India badminton team at the Rio 2016 Olympics.

    Every time Gopichand’s trainees Kidambi Srikanth, Parupalli Kashyap, and HS Prannoy encountered the Chinese legend, the master tactician in the Indian coach could be seen.

    Gopichand’s deep insight into Lin Dan’s game helped his wards run the Chinese close. Lin Dan had a weak backhand and Gopichand knew how to exploit that.

    Although Parupalli Kashyap never got past Lin Dan in three meetings, Kidambi Srikanth had a 2-3 win-loss record against the Chinese superstar. With a 3-2 win-loss record against Lin Dan, HS Prannoy was the best.
    “We decided to hit across him. He would retrieve, no doubt, but when his defence cracked, it cracked,” Gopichand explained.

    “We had some decent success as most of our players beat him at some point. In the last three-four years, Lin Dan was nowhere near his best; he was just hanging on.

    “His best was perhaps before 2015," added Gopichand.

    Rebuilding from scratch
    Gopichand, however, was quick to acknowledge the massive transformation that Lin Dan had undergone in the 2000s. It was this metamorphosis that made him ‘Super Dan’.

    Taking a leaf out of Jwala Gutta’s assessment of the Chinese legend, Gopichand praised Lin Dan’s strong mentality to move away from the Chinese mould and develop his own playing style as years progressed.

    “He was a typically quick Chinese player, but he realised that he was getting caught with a particular style of game. So, he adapted wonderfully,” Gopichand said.

    “He totally turned his game around to become a player who could control his attack and had a very good defence. He stood out with his all-round game,” observed Gopichand.
     

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  2. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/regional-hubs-for-badminton

    Regional hubs for badminton

    [​IMG]
    SBA president Lawrence Leow (fourth from left) with the new management committee members (from left) Dr Benson Yeo, Bryan Long, Ian Lee, Kenny Quek and Chan Wei. PHOTO: SINGAPORE BADMINTON ASSOCIATION
    PUBLISHED
    OCT 4, 2020, 5:00 AM SGT

    SBA unveils plans to establish zonal training centres next year to boost talent base, skills
    David Lee

    New regional training centres will be set up next year, as the Singapore Badminton Association (SBA) seeks to raise the quality of play and increase the sport's popularity and accessibility.

    SBA president Lawrence Leow, who was re-elected unopposed for a second term at its virtual annual general meeting yesterday week, is also looking at high performance and establishing a wider base of national players and coaches.

    The four to five centres, likely to be situated at the north, south, east, west and central zones, will provide coaching for foundational and elite levels. It will first cater to those aged 13 to 17 before expanding to the under-13 age group.

    The association hopes to launch these centres next April, said Leow, adding that the SBA secretariat is in advanced discussions with national agency Sport Singapore to confirm the venues and whether selected coaches or academies will run the respective facilities.

    Leow, 62, also revealed his goal of creating a Singaporean core within the national coaching set-up by 2025. He said: "Local coaches have a better understanding of the local culture, context and mentality.

    "Today, Singaporean coaches are not really helming the national team and that is something we can work on changing - not to the extent of replacing the foreign coaches who will remain an instrumental part of our set-up - but to have at least an adequate local presence."

    Indonesians Mulyo Handoyo and Nunung Wibiyanto are the current national head coaches for singles and doubles. They are assisted by Singaporeans Kelvin Ho and Noor Izwan, Malaysians Lim Pek Siah and Yap Kim Hock and Indonesian Pribadi Setia Atmaja.

    Besides sending the coaches overseas for experience and exposure, the SBA is also developing a national grading system, which will serve as a platform for evaluation and feedback to players on their proficiency level.

    This will compliment the national ranking system introduced last year, covering 1,183 players.

    Leow said: "The aim is to create a larger national talent pool with strong fundamentals. The SBA is currently working with a selected academy to flesh out the detailed criteria for each grading level."

    At last year's SEA Games in the Philippines, Singapore won one silver (Loh Kean Yew in the men's singles) and two bronze medals (men and women's teams).

    The expanded SBA's management committee - from 11 elected and three co-opted members to 17 and a maximum of seven, respectively - will focus on the strategic areas of assets and facilities, pathway and development, membership and partners, tournament and technical officials, and business and awards.

    The key positions in the MC will be decided later this month, with one vice-president assigned to oversee each area.

    Leow, whose long-term ambition is for Singapore to capture an Olympic medal by 2028, urged the fraternity to unite and be bold in contributing ideas.

    He said: "We must adopt the attitude that there is no idea that is too wild and no dream that cannot come true. The key is to set out a comprehensive road map with realistic targets that will guide us towards realising our goals."
     
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  3. samkool

    samkool Regular Member

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    the next world tour tournament
    this type of news is always great for the sport, but it can only succeed if:
    • they get enough $ to do what they want, and
    • their benefactors (gov't) leave them alone to do what they want, and
    • nobody inside sba is power hungry.
    singapore has a ton of untapped and unrefined talent. a medal in los angeles 2028 is not an unreasonable expectation.
     
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  4. lodoss

    lodoss Regular Member

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    i just wish more courts to be available. now it's a mad scramble for courts at sports hall and community clubs, with school halls closed.
     
  5. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Just dug up a picture of an old friend who participated in a local Masters event held in November 2009, some 11 years ago. in Singapore.
    Happy Diwali Bobby!

    Sorry unable to attach picture.
     
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  6. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Badminton: New regional training centres to be set up from next April, says Singapore chief Lawrence Leow
    Singapore Badminton Scene | BadmintonCentral
    [​IMG]
    Singapore Badminton Association president Lawrence Leow (centre) with new management committee members (from left) Dr Benson Yeo, Chan Wei, Ian Lee, Kenny Quek and Bryan Long.PHOTO: SINGAPORE BADMINTON ASSOCIATION
    [​IMG]
    David Lee

    • PUBLISHED
      OCT 3, 2020, 5:10 PM SGT
    FACEBOOKTWITTER


    SINGAPORE - New regional training centres will be set up next year as the Singapore Badminton Association (SBA) seek to raise the quality of play and increase the sport's popularity and accessibility.

    SBA president Lawrence Leow, who was re-elected unopposed for his second term at its virtual annual general meeting on Sept 26, is also looking at high performance and establishing a wider base of national players and coaches.

    The four to five centres, likely to be situated at the north, south, east, west and central zones, will provide coaching for foundational and elite levels. It will cater to youths aged 13 to 17 first before expanding to juniors (under-13).

    The association hopes to launch these centres next April, said Leow, adding that the SBA secretariat is in advanced discussions with national agency Sport Singapore to confirm the venues and whether selected coaches or academies will run the respective venues.

    Leow, 62, also share his goal of a Singaporean core within the national coaching staff by 2025. He said: "Local coaches have a better understanding of the local culture, context and mentality.

    "Today, Singaporean coaches are not really helming the national team and that is something we can work on changing, not to the extent of replacing the foreign coaches who will remain an instrumental part of our setup, but to have at least an adequate local presence."

    Indonesians Mulyo Handoyo and Nunung Wibiyanto are the current national head coaches for singles and doubles. They are assisted by Singaporeans Kelvin Ho, Noor Izwan, Malaysians Lim Pek Siah, Yap Kim Hock and Indonesian Pribadi Setia Atmaja.

    Besides sending these coaches overseas for experience and exposure, the SBA is also developing a national grading system, which will serve as a platform for evaluation and feedback to players on their proficiency level.

    This will complement the current national ranking system, which has grown to include 1,183 players, which was introduced last year.

    Badminton: Fraternity cheered by news of more courts at the Punggol Regional Sports Centre[/paste:font]
    Coronavirus: Sports associations in Singapore stretched but strive to keep staff, salaries intact[/paste:font]
    Leow said: "The aim is to create a larger national talent pool with strong fundamentals. The SBA is currently working with a selected academy to flesh out the detailed criteria for each grading level."

    At last year's SEA Games in the Philippines, Singapore collected one silver (Loh Kean Yew in the men's singles) and two bronze medals (men's and women's team event).

    The SBA's management committee has been expanded - from 11 elected and three co-opted members to 17 and a maximum of seven respectively - and will focus on the strategic areas of assets and facilities, pathway and development, membership and partners, tournament and technical officials, and business and awards.

    The MC will appoint its key appointment holders later this month, with one vice-president assigned to oversee each area.

    Leow, whose long-term ambition is for the Republic to capture an Olympic badminton medal by 2028, urged the local fraternity to unite and be bold in contributing ideas.

    He said: "We must adopt the attitude that there is no idea that is too wild and no dream that cannot come true. The key is to set out a comprehensive road map with realistic targets that will guide us towards realising our goals."

    SBA management committee: Lawrence Leow, Hamid Khan, Michael Chia, Chan Wei, Michael Foo, Victor Foo, Ian Lee, Robert Lim, Bryan Long, John Ng, Ng Yoke Weng, Pek Choon Lee, Nigel Phang, Kenny Quek, Wong Shoon Keat, Michael Yom, Benson Yeo.
     
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  7. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Badminton: S'pore shuttlers back in action at Thailand Open after Covid-enforced hiatus
    Badminton: S'pore shuttlers back in action at Thailand Open after Covid-enforced hiatus, Sport News & Top Stories - The Straits Times
    [​IMG]
    (From left) Yeo Jia Min, Jin Yujia, Loh Kean Yew and Crystal Wong will be competing in the Yonex Thailand Open and Toyota Thailand Open.ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG
    [​IMG]
    Kimberly Kwek

    • PUBLISHED
      JAN 4, 2021, 9:08 PM SGT
    FACEBOOKTWITTER

    SINGAPORE - A strange feeling settled in the Singapore shuttlers as they set foot in Changi Airport's unusually empty departure hall on Monday (Jan 4) for the first time in over 10 months.

    While they were anticipating their trip to Bangkok for the Jan 12-17 Yonex Thailand Open and Jan 19-24 Toyota Thailand Open - their first competitive action after a Covid-hit season last year - there was also apprehension at the uncertain times that lay ahead.

    Even before the Thai capital welcomed the sport's top players, the tournaments were hit by withdrawals, with the Japanese team pulling out after world No. 1 Kento Momota tested positive for the coronavirus on Sunday. The Chinese contingent, which includes Olympic champion Chen Long women's world No. 2 Chen Yufei, are also not travelling to Bangkok due to China's virus regulations.

    The Badminton Association of Malaysia's coaching director Wong Choong Hann tested positive for Covid-19 and is in self-isolation, but Malaysia's shuttlers will compete in the two events.

    National shuttler Yeo Jia Min, the world No. 26, said: "I feel very excited (to compete again). At the same time, there'll be quite a lot of things that may be different and there are a lot of things to be careful about.

    "Before the last few days, I didn't have many concerns about going to Bangkok, but after hearing that athletes are getting infected, I'll be very careful when I go there."

    The 21-year-old is among Singapore's contingent of five, which comprises men's singles player Loh Kean Yew, women's doubles pair Crystal Wong and Jin Yujia, and national singles coach Kelvin Ho.

    Upon arrival in Bangkok, they are required to undergo a 14-day quarantine and will be allowed to train at specific time slots once they test negative for Covid-19.

    During the tournaments, they do not plan to leave their hotel, the Novotel Bangkok Impact, except to travel to the tournament venue at Impact Arena, which is a five-minute drive away. Both competitions will be held behind closed doors.

    While the Singapore Badminton Association has tried to simulate a competition environment by holding an internal tournament for the shuttlers last month, the players expect to have to shake off some rustiness.

    Jin, 23, whose last competition was the Badminton Asia Team Championships last February, said: "I feel excited to compete again, but at the same time, because we haven't competed in almost a year so we've kind of lost (the feeling) of standing in such a big hall and such a high level of competition."

    Crystal Wong, 21, added: "I'm looking forward to seeing where we stand against other top opponents because during these few months, we've been training quite hard so hopefully we can see improvements in our game play."

    The pair will face Thailand's Laksika Kanlaha and Atitaya Povanon in the Yonex Thailand Open, before taking on Denmark's Alexandra Boje and Mette Poulsen in the next tournament.

    Yeo will face world No. 5 Ratchanok Intanon, the 2013 world champion whom the Singaporean has not beaten in two outings, in her opener next week.

    MORE ON THIS TOPIC
    Badminton: Momota positive for Covid-19, Japanese squad to miss Thailand Open[/paste:font]
    Badminton: Thailand pledges 'world's safest' event as China pull out[/paste:font]
    Teammate Loh, the world No. 38, is also in for a tough first match against Indonesia's world No. 7 Jonatan Christie. But the 23-year-old is relishing the challenge, saying: "I'm an underdog as compared to him. I want to win because after preparing and not competing for so long, I would love to play more rounds."

    There is also much at stake for Loh and Yeo, who are aiming to compete at the Olympic Games in July.

    But their journey to Tokyo is riddled with uncertainty. The top 38 singles players in the men's and women's Race to Tokyo rankings will qualify and while Loh and Yeo are 16th and 17th respectively, they are unsure of which tournaments will take place in the last few months of the qualification window, which closes on May 2.

    Loh said: "We're going to play it by ear and see the situation around the world. If we can, we'll go to get more Olympic points for qualification."

    MORE ON THIS TOPIC
    Badminton: Singapore Open slated for April 13-18 as an Olympic qualifier[/paste:font]
    Olympics: Singapore athletes in favour of getting vaccinated ahead of Tokyo Games[/paste:font]
     
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  8. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    https://www.channelnewsasia.com/new...tested-positive-for-covid-19-cleared-13943334
    Three badminton players who tested positive for COVID-19 cleared to return for Thailand Open: BWF
    View attachment upload_2021-1-13_14-24-12.gif
    By Matthew Mohan @MatthewMohanCNA
    12 Jan 2021 03:57PM (Updated: 12 Jan 2021 10:21PM)

    SINGAPORE REPRESENTATION


    Singapore has four badminton players in action at the tournament, which is being played in a "bubble" behind closed doors.

    Earlier on Tuesday, Singapore's top male shuttler Loh Kean Yew fell to tournament sixth seed Jonatan Christie 21-13, 10-21, 16-21 in the first round. Loh is ranked 38th in the world, while Indonesia's Christie is seventh.

    Later in the day, the women's doubles pair of Jin Yujia and Crystal Wong were edged out 21-12,15-21,18-21 by Laksika Kanlaha and Atitaya Povanon in the women's doubles.

    Singapore's top female player Yeo Jia Min will face Thailand's Ratchanok Intanon on Wednesday.

    In response to queries from CNA, the Singapore Badminton Association (SBA) said it had put in place additional safety measures for local athletes from the beginning of the event.

    "The BWF and Badminton Association of Thailand have implemented a set of rigorous safety and testing protocols for the tournament. We note that the positive cases in a few athletes from other countries were discovered through scheduled tests from the safety protocols," said the statement from SBA.

    "So far, all our Team Singapore athletes have tested negative. We have also put in place additional safety measures for our athletes, right from the start of the tournament. For example, all our athletes are required to stay within our own 'Singapore bubble' at all times except when they are playing in the tournament matches. This helps to further minimise interactions with individuals from other countries."
     

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  9. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    https://www.tnp.sg/sports/team-singapore/hustle-bangkok-bubble-singapore-shuttlers
    Team Singapore
    Hustle in a Bangkok bubble for Singapore shuttlers
    [​IMG]
    Singapore's Yeo Jia Min will face home favourite Ratchanok Intanon in the first round of the Yonex Thailand Open. TNP FILE PHOTO
    New normal for national shuttlers as international badminton circuit resumes
    [​IMG]
    Dilenjit Singh

    Sub Editor
    Jan 12, 2021 06:00 am
    • 74 Engagements
    Hotel room workouts using a carton of water bottles as weights, warm-up sessions in the bus to maximise on-court training time and little choice in meal options due to being cooped up in the hotel room in accordance with Covid-19 protocol.

    That is what the resumption of tournament action looks like for Singapore's badminton players, who are in Bangkok for a double-header that marks the sport's resumption.

    The Republic's contingent are not the only ones thinking outside the box, with Olympic women's champion Carolina Marin posting a video of herself working out with a hotel towel while men's world No. 3 Anders Antonsen practised serving shuttlecocks into his shoes.

    Severely disrupted by Covid-19, the last major international tournament was the Denmark Open last October.

    Bangkok will play host to the Yonex Thailand Open from today to Sunday, followed by the Toyota Thailand Open (Jan 19-24) before culminating in the BWF World Tour Finals (Jan 27-31) - which will feature the top eight singles, doubles and mixed doubles players.


    The Singapore contingent of Yeo Jia Min, Loh Kean Yew, Crystal Wong and Jin Yujia, along with national singles coach Kelvin Ho, left for the Thai capital on Monday last week.


    Jan 13, 2021
    Related Stories
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    Japan stint vital for paddlers: STTA president Ellen Lee


    They were confined to their rooms at the Novotel Bangkok Impact hotel for the first two days, until they received the results of their Covid-19 tests.

    Even after testing negative, they remain largely confined to the hotel, except for the allotted 75-minute training sessions at Impact Arena.

    Men's singles world No. 38 Loh, 23, told The New Paper: "This has been quite a different experience as compared to previous tournaments. We did some room training (for) the first two days and got used to the new normal here...

    "We had some exercises prepared by our trainer before coming here, specifically for when we are in our rooms. It's about 60 minutes. I used resistance bands and water bottles as weights."

    Women's singles world No. 26 Yeo, 21, added that it was a new experience not interacting with other players as timings have been staggered for various contingents.

    The meals have also taken some getting used to, with the monotonous servings of chicken breast a recurring theme of Loh's social media posts, as he jokingly captioned a photo of him on a treadmill with: "Trying to run away from all the breast meat."

    Said Yeo: "One day, we even ate chicken breast for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I couldn't finish it."

    While there seems to have been more variety in the pre-packaged meals recently, Loh noted: "It would be ideal to have more choices as to what we eat, and what time to eat."

    The two Thailand Opens have been hit by a host of withdrawals, including men's world No. 1 Kento Momota and women's No. 2 Chen Yufei - for coronavirus-related reasons.

    But there remains top-tier competition for the Singaporean contingent.

    Today, Loh takes on Indonesia's world No. 7 and reigning Asian Games champion Jonatan Christie while the duo Jin, 23, and Wong, 21, are up against Thailand's Laksika Kanlaha and Atitaya Povano.

    Yeo, meanwhile, will also face a home favourite in the first round, as she takes on world No. 5 Ratchanok Intanon, a former world champion.
     
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  10. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    https://www.tnp.sg/sports/team-singapore/loh-kean-yew-gives-world-no-7-jonatan-christie-scare
    Loh Kean Yew gives world No. 7 Jonatan Christie a scare
    [​IMG]
    Loh Kean Yew (above) believes he has a lot more to work on after his 13-21, 21-10, 21-16 defeat by world No. 7 Jonatan Christie at the Yonex Thailand Open. PHOTO: BADMINTONPHOTO
    But Singapore contingent receive fright of their own as the Badminton World Federation reveals positive Covid-19 tests at the Yonex Thailand Open
    [​IMG]
    Dilenjit Singh

    Sub Editor
    Jan 13, 2021 06:00 am

    After nearly a year without smashing a shuttlecock in a tournament setting, Singaporean Loh Kean Yew rated his return to action as a seven-out-of-10 as he pushed world No. 7 and Asian Games champion Jonatan Christie all the way at the Yonex Thailand Open yesterday.

    The men's singles world No. 38 showed little sign of rust, especially when he outclassed the Indonesian in the first set, before eventually succumbing 13-21, 21-10, 21-16 at the Impact Arena in 65 minutes.

    Before the first-round tie in the Thai capital, Loh had not competed since last February as Covid-19 disrupted the international badminton circuit.

    Yet, he rekindled memories of his career-defining moment in Bangkok, where he beat badminton legend Lin Dan in the Thailand Masters final in 2019, as he led virtually from start to finish in the first set.

    Loh, 23, told The New Paper: "It was only the first set, it was too early for celebration. I had to focus on the next set...

    "He played a great game and he is much more consistent than I am... I still have a lot to work on...There's not much time left (before the Tokyo Olympics), I got to buck up a little more."

    The other Singaporeans in action yesterday,the women's doubles pair of Crystal Wong and Jin Yujia, lost to Thailand's Laksika Kanlaha and Atitaya Povanon 12-21, 21-15, 21-18 in one hour.

    Singapore's women's singles world No. 26 Yeo Jia Min will begin her campaign today against home favourite and former world champion Ratchanok Intanon, who is the world's fifth-ranked player.

    Meanwhile, fellow former women's world No. 1 Saina Nehwal sparked worries at the tournament after testing positive for Covid-19.

    The Indian was one of four players whose tests on Monday returned positive results. The other three who had initially tested positive are fellow Indian H. S. Prannoy, Germany's Jones Ralfy Jansen and Egyptian Adham Hatem Elgamal.

    However, last night, the Badminton World Federation (BWF) said that Nehwal, Prannoy and Jansen have been cleared to resume action while Elgamal has withdrawn from the tournament.

    Retests of their samples revealed negative results for all except Nehwal. They then underwent a second Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test and an antibody blood test.

    The Thai medical authorities concluded that Nehwal, Prannoy and Jansen had contracted Covid-19 in the past but "are not infected and do not pose a danger" as they returned positive antibody blood tests.

    A positive antibody test means a person has been infected with the virus at some juncture but does not mean he is currently infected.

    Elgamal, meanwhile, tested positive for Covid-19 but had no antibodies for the virus. He is quarantining at a hospital for a minimum of 10 days.

    Said Loh: "Anyone here will definitely be concerned, so it's important for... everyone of us to do our part to stay safe."

    The Singapore Badminton Association said in a statement: "So far, all our Team Singapore athletes have tested negative. We have also put in place additional safety measures for our athletes, right from the start of the tournament.

    "For example, all our athletes are required to stay within our own 'Singapore bubble'... except when they are playing... to further minimise interactions with individuals from other countries.
     
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  11. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    https://www.tnp.sg/sports/team-singapore/loh-kean-yew-pushes-world-no-7-close-yonex-thailand-open
    Loh Kean Yew pushes world No. 7 close at Yonex Thailand Open
    [​IMG]
    Loh Kean Yew in action during his 13-21, 21-10, 21-16 defeat by world No. 7 and reigning Asian Games champion Jonatan Christie at the Yonex Thailand Open.BadmintonPhoto

    Singaporean shows little sign of rust in loss to Jonatan Christie, despite not playing since last February due to Covid-19 disruption

    [​IMG]
    Dilenjit Singh

    Sub Editor
    Jan 12, 2021 02:19 pm

    For a while, it looked as if a repeat of Loh Kean Yew’s finest hour was on the cards.

    Bangkok was the scene of the 23-year-old’s career-defining Thailand Masters final win over badminton legend Lin Dan in 2019, and he rekindled memories of that performance on Tuesday afternoon (Jan 12).

    Loh outclassed Indonesia’s world No. 7 and reigning Asian Games champion Jonatan Christie 21-13 in the first set of their first-round clash at the Yonex Thailand Open.

    The Singaporean men’s singles world No. 38 showed little sign of rust despite not featuring on the international badminton circuit since last February due to the disruption caused by Covid-19.

    The Yonex Thailand Open is the first international tournament since the Denmark Open last October.

    Christie, also 23, meanwhile, looked sluggish, making a series of unforced errors in the first set at the Impact Arena, where Loh lead virtually from start to finish.

    [​IMG]
    Sports
    Loh Kean Yew's giant-killing act continues with win over world No. 2
    Feb 13, 2020
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    But the Indonesian looked a different player in the second set, coming out of the blocks firing as he took a 7-0 lead before eventually brushing Loh aside 21-10.

    The stage was set for a potentially exciting third set, which did not disappoint.

    The Singaporean shrugged off an error-prone second set to push Christie all the way in the decider.

    Despite spending much of the third set trailing, Loh showed admirable tenacity, at one juncture winning four straight points to pull to within one point of Christie late in the match at 16-17.

    But from then on, the world No. 7 showed his class to win the next four points and the match 13-21, 21-10, 21-16 in 65 minutes.
     
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  12. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Badminton: S'pore shuttler Yeo out of Thailand Open after first-round loss to Ratchanok, Sport News & Top Stories - The Straits Times
    Badminton: S'pore shuttler Yeo out of Thailand Open after first-round loss to Ratchanok

    Yeo and her teammates will be back in action next week at the Toyota Thailand Open
    [​IMG]
    Yeo Jia Min's defeat meant that Singapore's shuttlers have all exited at the first round in Thailand.PHOTO: COURTESY OF BADMINTONPHOTO
    [​IMG]
    David Lee

    • PUBLISHED
      JAN 13, 2021, 11:30 PM SGT
    SINGAPORE - Passive play saw Singapore's top female shuttler Yeo Jia Min heading for an early exit at the Yonex Thailand Open on Wednesday (Jan 13), when she was beaten 21-15, 21-15 by Thailand's world No. 5 Ratchanok Intanon in the first round of the women's singles.

    The world No. 26 had managed to keep pace with the 2013 world champion in the early stages of both sets but Intanon simply stepped up a gear, pulling away each time the scores were level at 8-8 and 10-10 in the first and second set to win in 42 minutes.

    The loss at Bangkok's Impact Arena extends Yeo's winless record against the Thai to 3-0.

    The 21-year-old Singaporean said: "I think I played better than my last match against her at the 2019 World Championships, but there is still more to improve on in rallies. I would also like to take more initiative to create attacking opportunities."

    Yeo's defeat meant that Singapore's shuttlers have all exited at the first round in Thailand, although they did run their opponents close.

    On Tuesday, world No. 38 Loh Kean Yew narrowly lost to Indonesia's world No. 7 and Asian Games champion Jonatan Christie 13-21, 21-10, 21-16 in the men's singles, while Crystal Wong and Jin Yujia were beaten 12-21, 21-15, 21-18 by Thailand's Laksika Kanlaha and Atitaya Povanon.

    This week's Thailand Open marks the first competitive action for the Singaporean shuttlers in over 10 months owing to the pandemic forcing events worldwide to be axed or canceled.

    But the tournament, the first to kick off the Badminton World Federation World Tour this season, suffered a virus scare early on when four shuttlers initially tested positive before three were eventually cleared to play. Indian shuttler Kidambi Srikanth had also complained about being left with a bloody nose after a Covid-19 test.

    Despite the Covid-19 threat, the Singaporean quartet is looking forward to next week's Toyota Thailand Open at the same venue.

    Yeo said: "I'm not really sure about the other players' situation. The incubation period for the virus can be days so we won't really know if anyone here has the virus even if they tested negative.

    "We can do only what we can and not interact with players from other countries outside our matches."

    Loh will face Thailand's three-time world junior champion Kunlavut Vitidsarn next week, while Yeo will meet Indonesia's world No. 35 Ruselli Hartawan. Doubles pair Wong and Jin will come up against Denmark's Alexandra Boje and Mette Poulsen.

    National singles coach Kelvin Ho said: "Kean Yew needs to improve on his focus and adaptation skills, while Jia Min can match opponents for speed but still needs work on her shot selection and court awareness.

    "Overall, our players can improve on their consistency but all of them showed excellent fighting spirit in their first tournament after so many months."
     
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  13. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Badminton: Yeo to buckle down for Olympics qualifying after Thai Open exit, Sport News & Top Stories - The Straits Times
    Badminton: Yeo to buckle down for Olympics qualifying after Thai Open exit
    [​IMG]
    Yeo Jia Min was the only Singaporean player to advance beyond the first round at the Toyota Thailand Open.PHOTO: COURTESY OF BADMINTONPHOTO
    [​IMG]
    David Lee
    • PUBLISHED
      JAN 21, 2021, 8:55 PM SGT

    SINGAPORE - After a nine-month Covid-enforced hiatus from international competitions, Singaporean shuttlers Yeo Jia Min and Loh Kean Yew finally started their season with two tournaments in Bangkok in the last two weeks.

    And with two months remaining in the qualifying window for the July 23-Aug 8 Olympic Games, the duo now have a better picture of what they need to do to earn their tickets to Tokyo.

    Qualifying starts from the Swiss Open in March and the window closes on May 2. The top 38 singles players in the men's and women's Race to Tokyo rankings will qualify and Loh and Yeo were 16th and 17th respectively before the Thailand events.

    On Thursday (Jan 21), Singapore's top female player, world No. 26 Yeo Jia Min lost 21-15, 21-7 to South Korea's world No. 9 An Se-young in the second round of the Toyota Thailand Open.

    Despite the defeat, the 21-year-old was the only Singaporean player to advance beyond the first round at the tournament, after she beat Indonesia's world No. 35 Ruselli Hartawan 22-20, 21-18 on Wednesday. At last week's Yonex Thailand Open, Yeo lost 21-15, 21-15 to Thailand's former world champion Ratchanok Intanon in the first round.

    Yeo said: "My strategy (against An) was not working and I wanted to change but I couldn't be consistent.

    "These two competitions have given me more focus on what to train on when I get back home so that I can be more confident in using different strategies in the future."

    Teammate Loh and the women's doubles pair of Crystal Wong and Jin Yujia exited the tournament in the opening rounds in their respective events.

    But they showed glimpses of being able to match more illustrious opponents, as Loh lost in three games to Indonesia's world No. 7 and Asian Games champion Jonatan Christie and Thailand's three-time world junior champion Kunlavut Vitidsarn. The women's duo also lost narrowly to Thai and Danish opponents.

    Yeo and world No. 38 Loh are gunning for the Olympic Games but will need to find a way to overcome challenges in the next few months, such as a lack of local world-class sparring partners to raise their game.

    National singles coach Kelvin Ho said: "Kean Yew needs to improve on his physical aspects such as fitness, while Jia Min has to work on strategy and train of thoughts during matches.

    "Jiamin is able to match the speed of the top players but is behind in terms of decision-making and choice of shots. Her awareness on court and her consistency can also be better."

    The team of five will return home on Friday evening and serve a 14-day quarantine before resuming training and they may head to Europe for more competitions should conditions allow during the pandemic.

    On Wednesday, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong said local athletes who need to travel abroad to train and compete Olympic qualifying events will be prioritised for Covid-19 vaccination.

    While Loh said he is eager to find out more information, he added that athletes will have to adapt and do their part if sporting events and the Olympics are to proceed as scheduled.

    He added: "This is the new normal, we must get used to this."
     
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  14. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Badminton: S'pore shuttler Yeo bounces back with first-round win at Thailand Open
    [​IMG]
    Singapore shuttler Yeo Jia Min faced three game points but impressively reeled off five points on the trot to take a 1-0 lead.PHOTO: COURTESY OF BADMINTONPHOTO
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    David Lee

    • PUBLISHED
      JAN 20, 2021, 9:10 PM SGT

    SINGAPORE - Singapore shuttler Yeo Jia Min snapped an 11-game losing streak dating back to Oct 2019 with a resolute 22-20, 21-18 win over Indonesia's world No. 35 Ruselli Hartawan in the women's singles first round at the Toyota Thailand Open on Wednesday (Jan 20).

    World No. 26 Yeo told The Straits Times: "I'm aware I did not win in a few competitions last year, but I just continued believing in the process. I'm happy with today's win and will work to keep improving."

    Down 20-17 in the first set, the 21-year-old Singaporean faced three game points but impressively reeled off five points on the trot to take a 1-0 lead.

    Yeo was also trailing 11-7 in the second game but clawed her way back to end her winless drought.

    The result was a welcome relief after last week's defeat by Thailand's world No. 5 Ratchanok Intanon in the opening round of the Yonex Thailand Open.

    She said: "After last week's loss, Coach (Kelvin Ho) and I focused on when to build rallies and when to attack more. Towards the end of the first set (when Yeo was trailing), I just focused on what I could control.

    "I was a little passive last week and this time I took more initiative on court."

    Her reward is a round-of-16 match on Thursday against South Korean prodigy An Se-young, who swatted aside Thailand's world No. 28 Phittayaporn Chaiwan 21-12, 21-8.

    Yeo has a 1-1 record against the 18-year-old An, having beaten the world No. 9 at the 2019 Hyderabad Open before a loss at last year's Badminton Asia Team Championships.

    "Though I beat her before, I will treat every match like a new one. She is a patient player with few unforced errors, so I have to be make smart decisions tomorrow and keep my focus well," said Yeo.

    In the men's singles, Singapore's top male shuttler Loh Kean Yew suffered another turnaround defeat at Bangkok's Impact Arena as he fell 14-21, 21-16, 21-10 to Thailand's world No. 29 and three-time world junior champion Kunlavut Vitidsarn in 65 minutes.

    This comes after world No. 38 Loh had led Indonesia's world No. 7 Jonathan Christie by one game before losing 13-21, 21-10, 21-16 in the first round of the Yonex Thailand Open last week.

    The Indonesian was knocked out of the first round yesterday with a shock defeat by India's world No. 28 H.S. Prannoy, who hung on despite a late shoulder injury.

    MORE ON THIS TOPIC
    Badminton: Indonesia's Christie makes surprise Thailand Open exit, mixed doubles stars also shocked in opener[/paste:font]
    Badminton: Sai Praneeth out of Thailand Open due to Covid-19 positive test[/paste:font]
    There were also upsets in the mixed doubles and women's doubles, with Indonesia's second seeds Praveen Jordan and Melati Daeva Oktavianti stunned by little-known French pair Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue 14-21, 21-9, 21-13, while women's doubles pair Pearly Tan and Thinaah Muralitharan of Malaysia defeated South Korean sixth seeds Chang Ye-na and Kim Hye-rin 16-21, 21-15, 27-25.

    Players in both tournaments in Bangkok have been competing in a biosecure bubble without spectators, although the first tournament was overshadowed by three positive coronavirus cases last week, as well as a fourth overnight on Tuesday - India's Sai Praneeth, whose opponent Daren Liew of Malaysia received a walkover.

    - Additional reporting by AFP
     
  15. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Shuttler Yeo Jia Min's first-set fightback key to ending winless run, Latest Team Singapore News - The New Paper (tnp.sg)
    Shuttler Yeo Jia Min's first-set fightback key to ending winless run

    [​IMG]
    Singapore's Yeo Jia Min ended her 11-match winless run with a 22-20, 21-18 triumph over Ruselli Hartawan at the Toyota Thailand Open. PHOTO: BADMINTONPHOTO
    S'pore's top female shuttler to face South Korean teen sensation An in last 16 today
    [​IMG]
    Dilenjit Singh

    Sub Editor
    Jan 21, 2021 06:00 am
      • Singapore's top female shuttler Yeo Jia Min yesterday ended a long winless run with an impressive 22-20, 21-18 first-round win over Ruselli Hartawan at the Toyota Thailand Open, catalysed by a fightback at 17-20 down in the first set.

    Yeo, the world No. 26, was playing only her second match since last March due to the coronavirus' disruptive impact on the badminton calendar, but there was little sign of that at the Impact Arena in Bangkok.

    Against her Indonesian opponent, who had beaten her in five of their last six meetings before yesterday, the 21-year-old Singaporean showed nerves of steel, coming back from three game-points down to fire off five straight points and clinch the opening set.

    It was Yeo's first win since October 2019. Since then, she had lost 11 straight singles and doubles matches, including last week's 21-15, 21-15 defeat by former world champion Ratchanok Intanon.

    Against the Indonesian world No. 35 Hartawan, Yeo trailed at the midway point of both sets, 8-11 and 7-11, but both times showed an extra gear in the closing stages.


    After the 23-year-old levelled to 18-18 in the second set, the Singaporean former world junior No. 1 rattled off three straight points to win the match.

    Yeo told The New Paper: "I am aware that I did not win in a few competitions last year, but I just continued to believe in the process...

    "As compared to last week, where I was a little passive, this time I took more initiative on court. From last week to today, coach Kelvin (Ho) and I also had more focus on when to build rallies and when to attack more."

    National singles coach Ho added that Yeo had maintained her intensity and applied her game strategy well, and praised her ability to "overcome the pressure" during crunch time.

    Next up for Yeo in the round of 16 today is South Korea's An Se-young, who is ranked world No. 9 at just 18 years of age.

    The last time the pair met in a non-team tournament was in the final of the Hyderabad Open in August 2019, the last of the Singaporean's three titles on the Badminton World Federation circuit.

    Meanwhile, the other Singaporean in action yesterday, Loh Kean Yew, lost 14-21, 21-16, 21-10 to Thailand's world No. 29 and three-time world junior champion Kunlavut Vitidsarn, 19.

    Just like in his 13-21, 21-10, 21-16 defeat by world No. 7 Jonatan Christie last week, the Singaporean world No. 38 was comfortably the better player in the first set before fading away.

    Said the 23-year-old Loh: "I guess I still have much more to do. For instance, I have to work on my fitness a lot more...

    "It's been long since I last played with world-class players, so I think it's good to know where I stand and what to work on."
     
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  16. baddiechan

    baddiechan Regular Member

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    Loh Kean Yew and Yeo Jia Min played pretty well, there is a lot of potential. I wonder how they will develop, it looks like they may suffer from the pressure like some of the Malaysian players. @Loh Thanks for sharing the news, Singapore needs have more high ranked professional players...
     
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  17. lodoss

    lodoss Regular Member

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    we have to be realistic on the expectations, given that there are younger players out there who have greater potential (An Se Young). here we lack a critical mass of good enough players, even strong sparring partners. i not really expecting them to win super 500 or above tournaments, but if they can make it to the quarter consistently, it will be good enough to me.
     
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  18. extremenanopowe

    extremenanopowe Regular Member

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    I have seen a lot in singapore badminton circles.

    Its a waste of time and money to do this regional centres. Its just because they have the budget and need to spread it among themselves. You notice that some of the committee members a from some coaching organisations. So, I suspect some conflict of interest.

    All they need is to have more tournaments for the juniors. Every single match counts. It will add to exposures and toughen them up. So far, I hardly see any plan to host tournaments for the juniors. They must do this tournament every single month without fail. Are they doing it. Training and tournaments are totally different thing. You may look good in training, but you can sucked in tournaments. Legs numb. Just look at the seniors. This and that training is positive but very little result. ;)

    I think these old horses inside has been working too long in SBA. Nothing change for 20 years. Same old same old lazy kings and queens inside, the politics are just incredible, pocket the money and move on. When target not met, excuses as always. I doubt the existing LKY and YJM can bring in good result. I doubt sba knows why. Sigh.

    Thats all folks.... be safe and enjoy life. I am still kicking coaching and enjoying my games. No time for money politics. ;)
     
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  19. lodoss

    lodoss Regular Member

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    tournament every month is a bit over. confirm the kids and juniors will be focusing on exam in may and november. beside the inter-school (have it, right?), i think 2 national ones (in june and december) will do.
     
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  20. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Badminton: Borden Eagle donates $200,000 to SBA as they co-launch programme for less privileged kids, Sport News & Top Stories - The Straits Times
    Badminton: Borden Eagle donates $200,000 to SBA as they co-launch programme for less privileged kids
    [​IMG]
    President Halimah Yacob and her husband, Singapore Badminton Association (SBA) patron-in-chief Abdullah Alhabshee (middle), with representatives from the Singapore National Olympic Council, Borden Eagle Group, SBA and the national badminton team at the launch of the EagleCares Badminton Programme at the OCBC Arena.
    PHOTO COURTESY OF SINGAPORE BADMINTON ASSOCIATION

    [​IMG]
    David Lee

    • PUBLISHED
      FEB 9, 2021, 6:11 PM SG

    SINGAPORE - The Singapore Badminton Association (SBA) and Borden Eagle Group, a Singapore heritage brand and the manufacturer of Eagle brand medicated oil, launched an initiative to benefit less privileged children in Singapore on Tuesday (Feb 9).

    In conjunction with Borden Eagle Group's 100th anniversary and launch of a 100-year commemorative book, SBA and Borden Eagle Group are setting up the EagleCares Badminton Programme to bring badminton to children who are residents in participating children's homes.

    This monthly community programme comprises two hours of activity conducted at a badminton sports hall where each participant will also receive badminton apparel and equipment to help them on their badminton journey, with national shuttlers such as world No. 39 Loh Kean Yew also involved.

    Among the beneficiaries of the programme are Jamiyah Children's Home and Salvation Army's Gracehaven and Haven.

    At Tuesday's event at the OCBC Arena, President Halimah Yacob, who was accompanied by Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin, witnessed the handing over of a $200,000 cheque from Borden director Adam Yeo to SBA president Lawrence Leow.

    Leow said: "I thank Borden for the support and belief in us and for partnering us in this meaningful cause. The money donated today will go a long way to doing good for the community, while also funding SBA's developmental programmes as we gear up to realign our focus and reorganise our system and structure under our Vision 2025 Masterplan.

    "This five-year Masterplan brings together the badminton fraternity to develop a roadmap to ensure SBA stays relevant and competitive."

    Borden chief executive officer Christel Leong added: "Serving the community has always been central to the Borden Eagle ethos. But beyond our products, we also want to find other ways to give back to the community.

    "The EagleCares badminton programme is a great opportunity to do so. It allows us to make a meaningful impact with less privileged children in the community. In addition to badminton, the programme gives the children access to national athletes where they can hear the athletes' stories, their highs and their lows, how the athletes persevere and work hard to excel, and be inspired."
     
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