Loh Kean Yew qualifies for world c'ships q-finals; last S'pore shuttler left in tournament Loh Kean Yew will go against Thailand's Kunlavut Vitidsarn on Aug 26, 2022. PHOTO: AFP David Lee PUBLISHED AUG 25, 2022, 6:55 PM SGT SINGAPORE - Defending men's singles champion Loh Kean Yew is now one victory away from claiming another Badminton World Championships medal. On Thursday (Aug 25), the world No. 8 Singaporean beat Hong Kong's 11th-ranked Angus Ng, who retired while trailing 21-11, 11-4 after 22 minutes at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium, to advance to the quarter-finals. This sets up a repeat of the SEA Games final with Thailand's defensive expert Kunlavut Vitidsarn on Friday. Back in May, the world No. 17 took full advantage of Loh's fatigue after a marathon semi-final win to win 21-13, 21-13. But Loh, who trails 2-1 in their head-to-head record, should be fresher this time after cruising past Ng, who required treatment to his right thigh when 8-3 down in the second game. The 25-year-old, who is Singapore's only medallist at the world meet, looks to be rediscovering his form again as he beat Spain's Pablo Abian 21-12, 21-12 in the first round, and Guatemala's Tokyo 2020 semi-finalist Kevin Cordon 21-12, 11-21, 21-12 in the next round. He said: "I think I played quite well and smoothly in the first game, and it was unfortunate he had the injury in the second game. It was an unexpected ending, but I wish him speedy recovery. "At this level, it is anybody's game. At this point, I'm going to just chiong (Singlish for go all out). I will analyse my game and my opponent's game with my coach and come up with a plan. "But I don't want to overthink things. I'm just going in, trying to enjoy playing the game, trying to give my best, and taking things one step, one point, one game and one match at a time." Loh, however, is the last Singaporean shuttler left in the tournament after the brave runs of his teammates came to an end in the round of 16. World No. 41 men's doubles pair Terry Hee and Loh Kean Hean clawed back from a 15-11 deficit to take the first game against 35th-ranked M. R. Arjun and Dhruv Kapila, but the Indians stepped up a gear to win 18-21, 21-15, 21-16 in 58 minutes. Earlier, the Singaporeans had stunned 27th-ranked French brothers Christo and Toma Junior Popov in the first round, followed by Malaysia's world No. 10 and last year's bronze medallists Ong Yew Sin and Teo Ee Yi. Kean Hean said: "We didn't play as well as yesterday or as we normally do. They prepared well and performed better than us. They were very fast and aggressive in their attacks and flat shots, and we couldn't convert the situation into our favour. We were not clear in our defence and made a lot of mistakes. "Overall for this tournament, we would give ourselves 7/10. Generally, we played well to overcome challenges and deficits, but it wasn't to be today." MORE ON THIS TOPIC Badminton: Terry Hee, Loh Kean Hean shock Malaysian bronze medallists at World C'ships Badminton: Loh Kean Yew faces tricky path in bid for back-to-back world title Hee then returned to the court later in the day with his wife Jessica Tan as the 32nd-ranked mixed doubles duo, but found themselves outplayed as they lost 21-10, 21-15 to Hong Kong's world No. 7 Tang Chun Man and Tse Ying Suet. After winning the first point, they found themselves blitzed by last year's bronze medallists, who were just too fast and too furious with their movement and combinations as they raced to a 12-2 lead and comfortably claimed the opener. Commonwealth Games champions Hee and Tan, who beat Japan's world No. 16 Yuki Kaneko and Misaki Matsutomo in the previous round, were more competitive in the second game and got to within a point at 16-15, before their southpaw opponents pulled away to avoid an upset. National doubles coach Lim Pek Siah was pleased with the players' performances in Tokyo. She said: "I hope this affirms their talent and ability and they can be more confident of how well they can play. To be medal contenders at this level, they will need to improve in terms of consistency, as well as variety and options in attack and defence." While disappointed, Tan preferred to take the positives from their first World Championships outing together. She said: "We were definitely far from our best today. We were not at our best physically, and hence were unable to bring out our best play, which was very unfortunate. "However, we are pleased with our campaign overall, especially after the huge upset over the Japanese pair on their home ground to reach the last 16 on our first attempt, and we aim to be back stronger." In the women's doubles, world No. 80s Jin Yujia and Crystal Wong put up admirable resistance against China's 13th-ranked Zhang Shuxian and Zheng Yu before losing 21-15, 21-14.
'I gave my all': Loh Kean Yew knocked out of World Championships 1 of 2 Loh Kean Yew lost 21-12, 17-21, 21-8 to Thailand's Kunlavut Vitidsarn at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium in Japan. PHOTO: AFP David Lee UPDATED 1 HOUR AGO SINGAPORE - Loh Kean Yew's badminton world championship title defence ended on Friday (Aug 26) after he lost 21-12, 17-21, 21-8 to Thailand's Kunlavut Vitidsarn at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium in Japan. After the quarter-final, the 25-year-old said: "I gave my best, I gave my all, but I couldn't win. "I have no regrets because I gave everything on the court. He was more ready for the third game to control the pace and that's something I need to work on. "Overall, I have been playing the best I can. I think I did okay to overcome some mental barriers and play more freely, I'm satisfied with my performance, but definitely there's a lot more to improve on." World No. 17 Kunlavut, world youth champion from 2017 to 2019, will face China's 23rd-ranked Zhao Junpeng for a place in the final. The other semi-final will be between Denmark's Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen and Taiwanese world No. 4 Chou Tien-chen. Kunlavut, 21, had beaten eighth-ranked Loh in the SEA Games men's singles final in May, and on Friday, he again used his world-class defensive ability to pressure the defending champion into committing numerous unforced errors. The Thai's cat-like reflexes and comprehensive court coverage make him hard to beat, which meant Loh had to be precise and patient. However, in the Singaporean's attempts to play the shuttle out of Kunlavut's reach in the first game, he sent numerous shots just long or wide. With his tournament life on the line, Loh unleashed his full repertoire of attacking shots and combinations to roar to a 17-6 lead in the second game. And even then, Kunlavut made life difficult for his opponent by saving five game points before conceding. In the decider, Kunlavut repelled Loh's smashes and wore his rival out with long rallies - one of which lasted for 59 shots - for the win. National singles coach Kelvin Ho said: “We analysed and identified Kunlavut’s playing style. Because the shuttle tends to move slower here, we planned to go with Kean Yew’s speed and combinations to apply pressure. “In the first game, we lost out on unforced errors on a number of smashes. In the second game, Kean Yew’s combinations were better as he was able to pre-empt the opponent’s returns. “Both players were tired in the decider, but a slow game is more advantageous to Kunlavut’s defensive style. On top of not being easy to kill, he also had good shot quality and was more precise.” Despite the defeat, it has to be put into perspective that no Singaporean had ever gone past the quarter-final stage at the world championships before Loh did last year. In what has been the crowning glory of his badminton career so far, he stunned Axelsen in the first round before going all the way to claim the men’s singles title in Huelva, Spain then. While he has not added to his eight international titles since and admitted to a continuous struggle for form, Loh has surged to a career high in the world rankings. He has also made it to the India Open and SEA Games finals, as well as semi-finals at the Indonesia Masters and Singapore Open. But Ho feels that Loh is nearing his best again ahead of his next competition, the Aug 30-Sept 4 Japan Open where he faces Zhao in the opening round. Ho added: “Overall, I think Kean Yew has played very well at this tournament. He looks to have found his confidence and fire again. He is clear when he has to adapt during matches and this is a good mentality going forward. “I don’t think he has any fitness issues. His style is to attack, which can be exhausting, so what we need to work on with him is his shot quality and decision making to help him become more efficient and complete while maintaining his speed and power.”
'No regrets' as badminton world champion Loh loses crown FRI, AUG 26, 2022 - 4:35 PM Loh Kean Yew has “no regrets” after his title defence ended in a quarter-final loss to Thailand’s Kunlavut Vitidsarn in Tokyo on Friday. PHOTO: ERIKA SAWAUCHI/BADMINTONPHOTO SINGAPORE’S reigning badminton world champion Loh Kean Yew said he had “no regrets” after his title defence ended in a quarter-final loss to Thailand’s Kunlavut Vitidsarn in Tokyo on Friday (Aug 26). Number eight seed Loh lost 21-12, 17-21, 21-8 to rising star Vitidsarn and said he had felt “no pressure” trying to defend his crown after winning the title last year in the Spanish city of Huelva. “This week was fine,” said the 25-year-old, who said he struggled to cope with the drift inside Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium. “I just tried my best to fight for every point and that was all that matters.” The 21-year-old Vitidsarn is a three-time junior world champion who is seen as one of world badminton’s best young players. He said Loh had made “some easy mistakes” in their match and that he looked forward to a semi-final against China’s unseeded Zhao Junpeng. “This week I go step-by-step because it’s a big tournament with many top players and very difficult to play,” said Vitidsarn. “I don’t think too much because if I think too much I have pressure in the game. I want to learn about the top players.” Loh said he would try to “improve everything” about his game after losing his title. “Everything I am good at, I need to become better – whatever I’m not so good at, I need to improve that as well,” he said. “My goal is to do my best in every match and to become better every day.” AFP
COMMENT: Forget his struggles, Loh Kean Yew has been a humble, classy world champion Chia Han Keong - 54m ago ReactComments SINGAPORE — Is he a modestly-talented shuttler who peaked at the perfect time to land one of badminton's biggest prizes, and is still learning how to deal with being an elite player? COMMENT: Forget his struggles, Loh Kean Yew has been a humble, classy world champion Or is he a lucky winner in a weakened field, whose limited talents got found out as the top stars return after the COVID-19 pandemic? How you feel about Loh Kean Yew's eight-month reign as world champion depends on whether you believe that he can continue to improve in the coming years, or that he cannot be any better than what he is right now. While we can argue over his greatness when put against the long list of illustrious badminton stars, what is pretty much undebatable is his place in Singapore sporting history. Loh stands alongside Olympic swimming gold medallist Joseph Schooling as the only athletes to have scaled the pinnacles of two of the most popular sports in the city-state in the past decade. His name will forever be etched into Singapore's sporting fabric. With that out of the way, we can take a look back at his reign as world champion, and debate if he overachieved or underperformed over the past eight months. Winning world title not just down to sheer luck In retrospect, Loh's monumental triumph in the Spanish city of Huelva last December was like a bolt from the blue. Even though he had been in the form of his life since October, no one believed that he could win the big prize. A look at the men's singles World Championships winners of the past decade shows only world No.1 players - China's Lin Dan (2013) and Chen Long (2014, 2015), Denmark's Viktor Axelsen (2017) and Japan's Kento Momota (2018, 2019). Loh's world ranking when he won the title? No.22. Here's where his detractors would chime in with the fact that the 2021 edition was decimated by withdrawals: of the injured Momota, as well as of the entire Indonesian contingent due to the country's travelling restrictions amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Loh got lucky that his path to the world title was far easier than past editions, they would say. In reality, he should have been knocked out in the first round, as he was given the toughest possible opening-round draw: against his mentor and world No.1 Axelsen. The Dane - who invited Loh to train with him in Dubai after last August's Tokyo Olympics - had already defeated his protege in the prestigious Indonesia Open final two weeks before the World Championships, and was expected to dominate the men's singles field. Yet, Loh stunned Axelsen in three games, restricting him to single-digit scores in the final two. That set the tone for his improbable march towards the title win, as he did not drop another game in his next five matches. Even with the weakened field, Loh had to be at the top of his game consistently. It cannot be just down to sheer luck for him to win six top-tier matches in a space of a week - with five of those against elite players ranked higher than him. His world title win in Huelva was undoubtedly legit. Singapore's shuttler Loh Kean Yew looking dejected during the men's singles final at the Hanoi SEA Games. (PHOTO: Sport Singapore/ Jeremy Lee) Consistently in the top 10 even though titles dry up After that momentous triumph, however, came nothing. Loh could not win another title on the BWF World Tour. And at the SEA Games and Commonwealth Games this year, he came up short in his bid to land the coveted gold medals despite the limited fields. This was when the criticisms were at the loudest. Loh's world title win was a fluke. He is not a top shuttler. He cannot hold a candle to Axelsen or Momota or Lin Dan. To be fair, Loh has had a few disappointing outings. The opening-round defeats at the All-England Championships and the Malaysia Open were deflating; the quarter-final exit at the recent Commonwealth Games was unexpected, and the limp loss in the SEA Games final would have hurt a lot. Occasionally, his major weakness - carelessness in key points due to his eagerness to win - would also re-emerge and cost him dearly in tight matches. To those who merely follow the results, it seems a steep fall from success for Loh. And it must seem to them that he was unable to replicate his World Championships form with any regularity. And so they deemed him as a "one-hit wonder". They're also wrong, once anyone delves deeper into his career progress this year. Since the start of 2022, Loh has nestled comfortably in the top 10 of the world rankings. Currently at a career-best world No.8, it is already a massive improvement from his world No.40 ranking a year ago. He has also generally progressed until the later stages of the tournaments he entered. And when he lost, it was usually to higher-ranked players, such as Chou Tien-chen (world No.4) at the Indonesia Masters; Lee Zii Jia (No.5) at the Indonesia Open; and Anthony Sinisuka Ginting (No.6) at the Singapore Open. Against opponents ranked outside of the top 20, Loh could usually dispatch them comfortably - a sure sign of progress from the previous years of his career. Adjustments to game, as he is no longer an underdog Of course, to those who followed Loh's career only from his World Championships triumph, it would seem as if he is unable to return to those glorious heights.
But here's the thing: Loh has never declared himself as the finished product, even after winning the world title. In fact, in his first press conference upon returning from Huelva, he said, "Compared to the top players like Viktor (Axelsen) and (Kento) Momota, there's a lot more that I can learn from them... This is just a new beginning for me." For someone who has been playing the underdog for much of his career, Loh has also had to deal with being a targeted player. Everyone wants to beat the world champion, and he has had to make major adjustments to his match temperament, as well as add more shot variety to his arsenal, in order to stay ahead of the pack. "I can't go back to being an underdog anymore," was his blunt admission to this journalist of his current standing in badminton. It is undoubtedly a steep learning curve that has been thrust on him with that world title win, and on occasions, he seemed weary and deflated by the constant pressure to excel. No one said the weight of the world title was easy to bear. Yet by and large, he has stayed true to his desire to continue improving his game, to rebound from the defeats, and to keep finding that extra edge. Singapore shuttler Loh Kean Yew returns a shot during the quarter-finals of the 2022 BWF World Championships in Tokyo. (PHOTO: Shi Tang/Getty Images)© Provided by Yahoo News Humble and grounded despite reaching pinnacle And now, he is no longer the world champion, after being ousted by Thailand's world No.17 Kunlavut Viditsarn - the same player who defeated him resoundingly in the SEA Games final - in the quarter-finals of the World Championships in Tokyo on Friday (26 August). Eight months of being in constant spotlight, with the public following and commenting on his every result even as he tried to rework his game, the intense pressure on Loh is something few among us have ever experienced. Being an unexpected winner of the world title, he was under no illusion that he was less prepared than the previous winners to handle his moment in the intense spotlight. He has had a target on his back at every round of every tournament, with every rival eager to beat a reigning world champion. Yet, that easy smile never left him. The gung-ho attacking spirit remains evident in every match. And despite taking tough losses all year, he was back smashing winners in another tournament a week or two later. These are signs of someone who has stayed humble and grounded despite reaching the peak of his sport. With his pop-idol looks, Loh could have sat back and watch the sponsorships and endorsements roll in. But no, he buckled down to spend more hours in training to retool his game. He may have been a world champion, but there was never a moment when he believed he was the best in the world. Despite already writing his name into sporting history, the hard work continues on for Loh. Even if Loh never reaches those heights of December 2021 again, he has already shown how to be a classy champion and a role model for all aspiring athletes. It shouldn't be hard to stop nit-picking on his results, and get behind this likeable young man for the rest of his badminton career. The author has covered both Singapore and international sports for the past 19 years, and was formerly sports editor of My Paper. The views expressed are his own. Do you have a story tip? Email:sgnews.tips@yahooinc.com.
How did Loh Kean Yew and Viktor Axelsen's badminton bromance begin? Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen and world champion Loh Kean Yew talk about their relationship, why Axelsen has opened himself up to his rivals with his training camp, and what Kean Yew has learnt. David Lee PUBLISHED JUL 12, 2022, 7:19 PM SGT FacebookTwitter SINGAPORE - What started out as a unique training arrangement has blossomed into a great friendship and rivalry. Or in modern day terms, a badminton bromance between Singapore's Loh Kean Yew and Viktor Axelsen of Denmark. The chemistry is clear when The Straits Times met the duo in an exclusive interview at the OCBC Arena on Tuesday (July 12) morning ahead of this week's Singapore Badminton Open, but their competitiveness can also be comedic. Asked who is the better cook, world champion Loh shoots his rival a smug look and replies: "Obviously me." When elite shuttlers rally, the returns are expectedly venomous, as top ranked and reigning Olympic champion Axelsen fired back: "He cooks only for TV or when there are cameras." Later, when comparing whose calf is bigger, he joked about Loh rigging his measurements. The banter is natural and constant, a sign of how their relationship has strengthened in the past 12 months following numerous training stints together in Dubai. Axelsen tompangs (Malay for giving a lift) Loh when they are in Denmark and Dubai while his 21-month old daughter Vega now regards the Singaporean as her "favourite player other than daddy". Loh meanwhile, has been the consummate host this past week. He sent a box of nonya kueh to Axelsen's hotel room and took his family out for a meal at Marina Bay Sands. The Dane is here for a holiday, skipping the Singapore Open to rest after playing five tournaments across South-east Asia in two months. He returns to Dubai later on Tuesday. Axelsen had shifted his base from Denmark to the United Arab Emirates following his victorious Tokyo 2020 campaign to facilitate travel to competitions in Asia, increase family time, and avoid having respiratory issues during the pollen season back home. While most top players would be content to keep their secrets and strategies to themselves, the 28-year-old opened himself to his competitors by organising a training camp comprising up-and-coming talents. They would practise together in Dubai for a few weeks at a go before returning to their own set-up. He said: "I wanted to try something else both for my motivation, but also for my own personal development. "We have been used to the same environment, so this change from time to time is really healthy as a player, because you have to adapt, learn from the other players, and take things from everybody's game which you can use yourself. "I'm not nervous about showing what I do on a daily basis to other players. As a player, you have to be able to find solutions on court anyway, so I see it as a big strength for all of us." He noted his selection criteria was not just based on ability and "personality is really important also", adding: "It's important for us to have a really good environment that we can joke around and have fun practising." The unconventional set-up appears to have paid off. Axelsen has won eight titles since the Olympics while Loh captured the world championship last December, even beating his "bro" for the first time in the first round. Others like Indian Lakshya Sen and Canada's Brian Yang have also made breakthroughs, rising to career-high rankings. Refusing to claim credit for their success, Axelsen said: "It's not only because of me that these players are improving. There are many years of hard work and some weeks in Dubai is not going to make a totally new player." Nevertheless, Loh, 25, is grateful for the invitation. He has said training with Axelsen has helped him understand the consistency, focus, intensity and work ethics required to become a world-class player. The world No. 9, who won three titles and made three other finals in the past year, said: "There's always win and lose in sports but it doesn't have to be if I lose to you, then I just hate you. It will be good for the sport if we can be fierce competitors and still be friends." Few will probably be as chummy as these two, who during the interview began discussing whether to go skydiving together in Dubai. There is another appointment they are even more keen on keeping, the Paris 2024 men's singles final. "Obviously, that sounds good," they chorused. In unison, of course.
Regression to the mean - he had one good tournament where he outperformed. Now it’s back to his usual level. If he’s only going to win one tournament a year, the WC is the one.
Badminton: Loh Kean Yew named Grab brand ambassador The partnership was launched with a video of Loh Kean Yew experiencing life as a GrabFood delivery rider. PHOTO: SCREENGRAB FROM GRAB/FACEBOOK PUBLISHED SEP 29, 2022, 4:34 PM SGT SINGAPORE - Badminton ace Loh Kean Yew was on Thursday announced as the first Singaporean brand ambassador of ride-hailing service Grab. Loh, 25, who became the Republic's first badminton world champion in 2021, said: "I am extremely humbled to be named Grab Singapore's first brand ambassador and work with a brand that reflects my values. As I am always on the move, using the Grab app has become a big part of my daily life." The partnership was launched with a video of Loh experiencing life as a GrabFood delivery rider. Other campaigns will follow including an Instagram augmented reality filter game and contest tie-in and promotions on the GrabFood app. Grab Singapore managing director Yee Wee Tang called Loh "an inspiration" for many Singaporeans and added: "People look up to him and identify with him because he is authentic and works hard for his dreams despite the immense pressure faced by national athletes. His story of growth really captivated us at Grab." He’s got the bike. He's got the jacket. And he’s got the orders. Now, watch what happens when Grab Singapore’s new ambassador, Loh Kean Yew, surprises consumers as a GrabFood delivery-partner! He’s got the bike. He's got the jacket. And he’s got the orders. Now, watch what happens when Grab Singapore’s new ambassador, Loh Kean Yew, surprises consumers as a GrabFood delivery-partner! Posted by Grab on Wednesday, September 28, 2022
Badminton: Singapore's Loh Kean Yew is now 5th in the world rankings A high ranking will make it easier for Loh Kean Yew to qualify directly for the Olympics. PHOTO: AFP David Lee PUBLISHED OCT 5, 2022, 12:46 PM SGT SINGAPORE - Loh Kean Yew has moved into the top five of the badminton world rankings for the first time despite not hitting a shuttlecock in an official match in the past month. It is the first time a Singaporean men's singles player has done so. Prior to this, Ronald Susilo was the previous highest-ranked Singaporean at sixth in 2004. In the women's singles, Zarinah Abdullah reached a high of No. 3 in 1994. Only 10 Singaporeans have ever made it to the world's top 10 across the five events - men's singles and doubles, women's singles and doubles and the mixed doubles. In the latest rankings released by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) on Tuesday, Loh moved up two positions to fifth as he replaced Japanese star Kento Momota, who dropped to seventh. This comes as the BWF updates its world rankings and removes points earned from as far back as 2020. The points had remained as competitions were totally suspended from March to October in 2020 and many others were postponed after that during the pandemic. Loh, who is training in Brondby with the Danish national team ahead of the Oct 18-23 Denmark Open, told The Straits Times: "It is a great honour and return for everything I have put into my career. Getting as high a ranking as possible is important as I work towards qualifying for the Paris Olympics in 2024. "It has not been easy to get here and it won't be easy to stay here and move up, but I will continue to work hard to improve in all aspects of my game." A high ranking will not only make it easier for him to qualify directly for the Olympics but also potentially ease his way in the draw. The 16 highest-ranked players are kept apart during the group stage at the Games. Any improvement in the rankings will also help Loh avoid others in the top four at premier events until at least the semi-finals. As the events returned gradually in 2021, the 25-year-old Singaporean's career skyrocketed after the July 23-Aug 8 Tokyo Olympics, where he lost in the group stage. Following a training stint with Danish Olympic champion and world No. 1 Viktor Axelsen in Dubai, he won the lower-tier Dutch Open, the Super 500 Hylo Open in Germany, before becoming the first Singaporean to claim the World Championship in December. Despite struggling with consistency in 2022, Loh still made the finals of the India Open and SEA Games, as well as the semi-finals of the Indonesia Masters and Singapore Open. Three quarter-final finishes at the World Championships, Asia Championships and Indonesia Open also helped him move up the ladder, as only his 10 highest point tallies are counted in the world ranking tabulation. He currently has 81,594 points, behind only Axelsen (122,606), Denmark's Anders Antonsen (92,700), Malaysia's Lee Zii Jia (91,578) and Chinese Taipei's Chou Tien-chen (89,576). MORE ON THIS TOPIC Badminton: Loh Kean Yew named Grab brand ambassador 'I gave my all': Loh Kean Yew knocked out of World Championships Singapore Badminton Association chief executive officer Alan Ow paid tribute to his star player and said: "This is a great achievement by Kean Yew and will give fellow national shuttlers belief that Singapore can be competitive on the international stage, and hopefully, future generations would be inspired. "We know the importance of having positives in sport and hope Kean Yew can build on the momentum in the lead-up to the Paris Olympics." Meanwhile, Loh also has his sights set on earning enough points to qualify for his first BWF World Tour Finals as one of the year's top eight performers, after narrowly missing out in 2021. With 38,890 points earned in 2022, he is currently 11th in the Race to Guangzhou, less than 3,000 points behind China's eighth-placed Zhao Junpeng (41,320). He hopes to do enough at the remaining stops in Denmark, France, Germany and Australia to overtake his rivals. Japan's Kodai Naraoka (39,970) currently occupies the ninth spot while his old nemesis, India's Lakshya Sen (39,650), is 10th. He said: "I had a good break from competing, and trained well with Viktor in Dubai for a week in September, as well as with the Denmark national team now. "I want to thank everyone for their help and support in my career, and I will try my best to do well in the upcoming events."
Badminton: Loh Kean Yew stuns Viktor Axelsen to reach Denmark Open semi-finals Singapore's Loh Kean Yew romped to a 21-17, 21-10 win in just 30 minutes against Axelsen, in their Denmark Open quarter-final PHOTO: AFP David Lee Sports Correspondent PUBLISHED 9 HOURS AGO SINGAPORE - Singapore’s top shuttler Loh Kean Yew ended world No. 1 Viktor Axelsen’s men’s singles record run of 39 straight wins in stunning fashion, romping to a 21-17, 21-10 win in just 30 minutes in their Denmark Open quarter-final on Friday. The world No. 5 told The Straits Times: “Beating Viktor now is an achievement in itself because he is on another level. But nobody wins all the time, and he is also human, and a respectable one too.” Loh will go on and meet childhood rival, Malaysia’s third-ranked Lee Zii Jia, in their semi-final on Saturday. The other semi-final will be contested by Japan’s world No. 24 Kodai Naraoka and China’s 44th-ranked Shi Yuqi. Prior to Friday’s match, Axelsen had lost just once in 43 matches in 2022, when he was defeated by India’s Lakshya Sen in their German Open semi-final in March. Since then, the 28-year-old Dane had been in near-invincible form, as he surpassed Chinese legend Lin Dan’s run of 31 consecutive wins en route to six titles, including his second World Championships and All England Open crowns. Axelsen was so dominant, he lost just seven games in his record run. He did withdraw from the Swiss Open and Thailand Open after one win at each event, but these are disregarded when tabulating the streaks. And so, in front of his hometown crowd at the Jyske Bank Arena in Odense, Axelsen was hot favourite to progress. But Loh, who famously beat Axelsen in the first round of the 2021 World Championships before going all the way to become Singapore’s first badminton world champion, had other ideas. Choosing to start from the half with the wind carry, which is generally accepted as the more disadvantageous side, the 25-year-old kept pace in the first game which was littered with shots that sailed long and out, such that Axelsen never led by more than a point. Loh then impressed with his blinding speed that helped him retrieve his opponent’s fierce smashes, and drew gasps of appreciation even from the home fans with his brilliant net play. When the opportunity arose, he unleashed his own ferocious smashes, with one clocked at 388 kmh. The bromance between the two players, who started training together with other players in Dubai in September 2021 on Axelsen’s invitation before repeating the arrangement before this tournament, has been well-documented. But there was a dash of drama during their latest encounter on two occasions when each player declined to change the shuttlecocks despite the other’s request. Loh began the second game with a service fault, but then showcased his full array of skills - scooping shuttles from near the floor, stroking deft drop shots, and sending winners to the corners - to blitz Axelsen and record his second win over his illustrious rival in six encounters. His delightful all-round game on the night led commentator Gillian Clark to comment: “Loh is playing so well, he is making the reigning world and Olympic champion look ordinary.” After admitting to The Straits Times at the Commonwealth Games in England in August that he was struggling with his form and consistency, he reached the World Championships quarter-finals and was knocked out at the round of 16 at the Japan Open. He then trained with Axelsen in Dubai and Denmark before setting the US$750,000 (S$1.06 million) Denmark Open alight with straight-game wins over Thailands’ world No. 36 Sitthikom Thammasin, India’s 11th-ranked Srikanth Kidambi, and now Axelsen. Loh said: “I prepared well before the matches, and gave my all during them. I’m just happy to be on the winning side. The tournament is not over so I got to stay focused throughout. “Viktor is Viktor, and Zii Jia is Zii Jia. Every player has different strengths and characteristics so I’m just going to go out there and do my best in the next match.” MORE ON THIS TOPIC Badminton: Singapore's Loh Kean Yew is now 5th in the world rankings Badminton: Loh Kean Yew faces tricky path in bid for back-to-back world titles
Badminton: Loh Kean Yew falls to Malaysia’s Lee in Denmark Open semi-final National shuttler Loh Kean Yew, pictured in an earlier round, was beaten by Malaysia's Lee Zii Jia in the Denmark Open semi-finals on Saturday. PHOTO: BADMINTONPHOTO David Lee Sports Correspondent PUBLISHED OCT 23, 2022, 1:19 AM SGT SINGAPORE – The ninth instalment of badminton’s Causeway derby between two of the game’s hottest rising stars ended in disappointment for Singapore’s Loh Kean Yew, as he lost 21-18, 21-15 to Malaysia’s Lee Zii Jia in 40 minutes in the Denmark Open semi-final on Saturday. World No. 3 Lee will go on to meet China’s 44th-ranked Shi Yuqi, who defeated Japan’s 24th-ranked Kodai Naraoka 21-15, 9-21, 24-22 in the other semi-final. World No. 5 Loh, on the other hand, will have to be content with a cheque for US$10,500 (S$14,900). Loh later thanked his supporters “who stayed up late to catch the action” and those in the Jyske Bank Arena and wrote on Instagram: “It almost feels like home playing here at Denmark Open with a very warm and welcoming crowd... Training and competing in Denmark has been a fruitful experience...” He also paid tribute to Dane world No. 1 Viktor Axelsen – who Loh beat in the quarter-finals – and his coach Henrik Rohde for the training stint he had with them in Dubai and Denmark earlier this year. Kedah-born Lee is friends with Loh, who was born in Penang and is a year older at 25. The duo are also seasoned rivals, often facing off in junior tournaments before the latter moved to Singapore when he was 13. Both have since done well in their professional careers, with Loh claiming a historic crown at the 2021 World Championships, while Lee snagged the 2021 All England Open and 2022 Asia Championships titles en route to their career-high world rankings now. A week before this event, both had trained with Denmark’s world No. 1 Viktor Axelsen in his home country before Loh knocked out the Olympic and world champion in the quarter-finals to set up a tantalising semi-final tie between two of the circuit’s most explosive players. Long rallies were at a premium, and with the shuttlecocks playing “super fast” at this tournament, shuttle control was key and it looked like the Singaporean settled down faster to establish a 7-2 lead in the first game. But Lee came back swiftly with superb net play to make it 12-12. The turning point came two points later when the umpire ruled that Loh’s racket had crossed the net and instead of 13-13, Lee led 14-12 and went on to see out the opener. The second game followed a similar vein with Loh leading 3-0 early on and Lee rebounding to build a 13-8 advantage. Fighting for his life, Loh drew level at 14-14 but eventually ran out of steam with several unforced errors. With the win, Lee is unbeaten against Loh in 2022 with three victories to extend his head-to-head advantage to 7-2, as Loh will now turn his attention to the Oct 25-30 French Open. “It’s a breakthrough result for me. In the last two tournaments, I didn’t perform well and I’m still trying to find my confidence here,” Lee said. MORE ON THIS TOPIC Loh Kean Yew’s revival a ‘great base’ for Paris 2024, says SBA official Loh Kean Yew stuns Viktor Axelsen to reach Denmark Open semi-finals
Badminton: Loh Kean Yew’s revival a ‘great base’ for Paris 2024, says SBA official Loh Kean Yew defeated World No. 1 Viktor Axelsen in the quarter-final of the Denmark Open in Odense on Oct 21, 2022. PHOTO: BADMINTONPHOTO Sazali Abdul Aziz Correspondent PUBLISHED OCT 22, 2022, 8:18 PM SGT SINGAPORE - National shuttler Loh Kean Yew may have fallen at the semi-final stage of the Denmark Open but his resurgent form at the tournament was always on the cards, said Singapore Badminton Association (SBA) technical director Martin Andrew on Saturday. He added that the world No. 5 player has benefited from a good period of training and short breaks from competition in the second half of 2022. On Friday, Loh ended world No. 1 Viktor Axelsen’s men’s singles record run of 39 straight wins in stunning fashion by romping to a 21-17, 21-10 win in just 30 minutes in the quarter-finals of the US$750,000 (S$1.06 million) tournament in Odense. The 25-year-old Singaporean had struggled for form and consistency since winning a historic World Championship last December but Andrew, a former Australia and New Zealand national coach, said he was not surprised Loh has been able to recapture his verve in Denmark. “He has been performing well throughout but fluctuating a bit in matches,” said Andrew. “It is so tough at the top of this sport (and) his level is up there with the best in the world.” In Odense, Loh also beat world No. 36 Thai Sitthikom Thammasin and India’s world No. 11 Srikanth Kidambi before he faced newly crowned world champion Axelsen. He was eventually beaten in the semi-finals by childhood rival, Malaysia’s third-ranked Lee Zii Jia, losing the encounter 21-18, 21-15 on Saturday. Despite the loss, Andrew noted that the Singaporean has been “moving well, moving fast and making good shot choices”. This, he added, was down to a much-needed break from competition for about six weeks after his exit from the Japan Open round of 16 on Sept 1. This gave Loh some respite from the grind of games, and an opportunity to focus on quality training. Said the Briton: “The training period has given an opportunity to work on some areas, have a clear focus and start to prepare for the current tournaments. “The Denmark Open is just one tournament in a run again so we will continue to see how things go, but it’s a strong positive start.” Asked what areas of Loh’s game they worked on, Andrew said the coaching staff at SBA focused on game plans, shot-making choices and quality, as well as speed of movement. He added that this had been an ongoing process since after the Commonwealth Games, where Loh exited in the quarter-final stage in early August. “We cannot sit still while other players get better,” said Andrew. “The focus is on his development areas but also help his strengths.” Regardless of Loh’s result in Odense, Andrew stressed that the long-term plan for the Singaporean is aimed “towards the 2024 Olympic Games and gradual improvements to that point”. Saying that Loh presently has a “great base” to work from, he added: “We are currently discussing the targets for 2023 and where we want his game to get to... (so as) to enable a good seeding position in the 2024 Olympics “He can do it.” MORE ON THIS TOPIC Badminton: Singapore's Loh Kean Yew is now 5th in the world rankings Heavy is the head that wears the crown: S'pore's shuttler Loh Kean Yew on his struggles with form Prior to Friday’s match, Axelsen had lost just once in 43 matches in 2022, when he was defeated by India’s Lakshya Sen in the German Open semi-finals in March. Since then, the 28-year-old Dane had been in near-invincible form, as he surpassed Chinese legend Lin Dan’s run of 31 consecutive wins en route to six titles, including his second World Championship and All England Open crowns. Loh and Axelsen are close friends and started training together with other players in Dubai in September 2021 on Axelsen’s invitation, before repeating the arrangement before the Denmark Open. The Singaporean shuttler had also trained in Brondby with the Danish national team ahead of the tournament. MORE ON THIS TOPIC How did Loh Kean Yew and Viktor Axelsen's badminton bromance begin? After defeating his pal, Loh told ST: “Beating Viktor now is an achievement in itself because he is on another level. But nobody wins all the time, and he is also human, and a respectable one too.” The other semi-final at the US$750,000 (S$1.06 million) Denmark Open will be contested by Japan’s world No. 24 Kodai Naraoka and China’s 44th-ranked Shi Yuqi. Additional reporting by David Lee MORE ON THIS TOPIC Badminton's Loh, pool player Yapp up for top award at returning Singapore Sports Awards Badminton: Loh Kean Yew named Grab brand ambassador
Loh Kean Yew is one win away from making his first World Tour Finals Loh Kean Yew 1 win away from making his 1st World Tour Finals (yahoo.com) Chia Han Keong ·Editor Mon, November 7, 2022 at 5:20 PM·3 min read Singaporean shuttler Loh Kean Yew celebrates defeating Japan's Kanta Tsuneyama at the French Open. (PHOTO: Shi Tang/Getty Images) UPDATE: Loh Kean Yew rose to a career-high No.3 in the BWF world rankings on Tuesday (8 November), up from No.5 in the previous week. This is the first time a Singaporean shuttler has reached the top three in the world rankings. SINGAPORE — Loh Kean Yew needs just one more victory on the Badminton World Tour to qualify for the season-ending BWF World Tour Finals for the first time in his career. In the latest World Tour rankings released on Monday (7 November), the Singaporean shuttler has entered the top eight, as he earned a total of 56,490 tour points in 2022, following his Hylo Open quarter-final performance in Germany last week. Only the top eight shuttlers in each category - men's and women's singles, men's and women's doubles, and mixed doubles - qualify for the World Tour Finals, which will be played in Guangzhou from 14 to 18 December. Loh, 25, had been hovering just outside the top eight men's singles spots for a couple of months. A good run last month - in which he made the Denmark Open semi-finals, as well as the French Open and Hylo Open quarter-finals - gave the former world champion the push finally entered the top eight. With just the Australian Open left in the calendar before the World Tour Finals, Loh has to hang on to his seventh spot. To confirm his qualification, he has to win his first-round match at the Australian Open, which will be held in Sydney from 15 to 20 November. The world No.5 has been drawn to face India's world No.45 Mithun Manjunath in the opening round. In fact, according to the Badminton Talk website, Loh can qualify just by playing at the Australian Open, if Malaysian rival Lee Zii Jia - who is currently in ninth place - does not reach the quarter-finals in Sydney, or if eighth-placed Lu Guangzu of China does not win his first-round tie. According to the BWF World Tour, the top five men's singles players on the World Tour ranking have already qualified for the season-ender: Denmark's Viktor Axelsen, Taiwan's Chou Tien-chen, India's H.S. Prannoy, and Indonesia's Jonatan Christie and Anthony Sinisuka Ginting. Japan's Kodai Naraoka is in sixth spot just ahead of Loh, with 58,120 points. He will confirm qualification just by playing at the Australian Open. Loh could become to second Singaporean shuttler to qualify for the World Tour Finals, after women's shuttler Yeo Jia Min made it to the 2021 edition in Bali. On Tuesday, Loh rose to a career-high No.3 in the BWF world rankings on Tuesday (8 November), up from No.5 in the previous week. This is the first time a Singaporean shuttler has reached the top three in the world rankings
‘This feels so surreal’ — Loh Kean Yew reaches 3rd position in badminton world ranking 'This feels so surreal' — Loh Kean Yew reaches 3rd position in badminton world ranking - Singapore News (theindependent.sg) Photo: For illustrative purposes only. Singapore's Loh Kean Yew hits a shot to Indonesia's Jonatan Christie in their men's singles badminton group stage match during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Musashino Forest Sports Plaza in Tokyo on July 28, 2021. (Photo by Pedro PARDO / AFP) From last week’s ranking of number five in the world, Loh, 25, jumped two spots up and is now third. November 9, 2022 By Anna Maria Romero Singapore’s badminton champion Loh Kean Yew has reached yet another career high. From last week’s ranking of number five in the world, Loh, 25, jumped two spots up and is now third. He follows good friend, Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen, who has stayed in pole position, and Malaysia’s Lee Zii Jia, whom Loh bested when he won last year’s Hylo Open, who is ranked second. Loh is the first Singaporean athlete to win at the BWF World Championships (2021), as well as the first to break into the sport’s world top three. The humble and well-liked Loh wrote in a social media post, “Today, I am officially ranked 3rd in the world. This feels so surreal, I find it hard to believe and I am very thankful for being on this miraculous journey.” “Last year, I competed at the Tokyo Olympic Games ranked 39th in the world. My 2021 European circuit started with a ranking of 40 at the Dutch Open, and at the 2021 World Championships, I finished the year at 15th ranking and a world title. Before the Olympic Games, I always had to ‘pray’ that I qualify for Super 500 and above tournaments as I wasn’t among the top 32 ranked. Being on the reserved list means that only if others withdrew, I stood a chance. My ‘fate’ was determined by others,” he added. In the past month alone, he reached the quarter-finals in major games in Europe three times. On Oct 21, in just half an hour, Loh bested Axelsen at the Denmark Open, 21-17 and 21-10, ending the Danish champion’s 39-game winning streak. However, a few days later, it was Axelsen’s turn to trounce Loh at the French Open quarter-finals 21-11, 21-17, before going on to beat his countryman, Rasmus Gemke, to take the title for the men’s singles. And on Nov 3, at the Hylo Open at Saarbrucken, Germany, Loh won over Indonesia’s Shesar Hiren Rustavito, 17-21, 21-15, 21-19, in three sets, in a game that lasted almost an hour, to advance to the quarter-finals. The next day, however, Shesar’s countryman Anthony Ginting bested Loh, 21-13, 21-14. Ginting, ranked eighth in the world, went on to take the top prize on Nov 6, defeating Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen in the final. The next step for Loh is the Australian Open, which will be held in Sydney from Nov 15 to 20, the last competition before the World Tour Finals. He needs to win the first-round match at the competition, in order to qualify for the World Tour Finals. In his most recent Instagram post on Nov 6, Loh wrote that he was “Leaving Germany after a 3-week European campaign and it’s time to head home for the Singapore Sports Awards next week, looking forward to seeing familiar faces again.” Loh and pool world number one Aloysius Yapp are up for the title of Sportsman of the Year honour at the 2022 Singapore Sports Awards. We’ll all find out the winner at the SSA presentation ceremony on Nov 10 (Thursday). /TISG
Badminton: Loh Kean Yew up to world No. 3 in ‘crazy’ year Loh Kean Yew's consistency in 2022 means he is poised to qualify for the first time for the Dec 14-18 BWF World Tour Finals ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO David Lee Sports Correspondent PUBLISHED NOV 8, 2022, 2:54 PM SGT SINGAPORE – He is one of the quickest men on the badminton court, but even Singapore’s Loh Kean Yew has surprised himself with the speed at which he has shot up the world rankings. About a year ago, he was 40th. On Tuesday, he rose from No. 5 to a career-high No. 3 to match Zarinah Abdullah, who reached the same milestone in 1994 in the women’s singles. No Singaporean has broken the top two. Loh, 25, said: “It’s a great honour and I hope I can inspire more people with this achievement. It’s been a crazy year because so many things have happened at a mad pace. “A year ago, I was just looking to break into the top 30 and make it to the higher-tier events. Previously, I was often on the reserve list and had to pray I can qualify; my fate was determined by others withdrawing. “To be in the top three was a career goal. So, this feels surreal and I’m very grateful I can be on this miraculous journey.” When asked if the No. 1 spot is a new target, Loh, who is back home for Thursday’s Singapore Sports Awards, where he is nominated for Sportsman of the Year, added: “Who doesn’t want to be No. 1? “But to be honest, Viktor Axelsen has been in beast mode in recent years, so it would be quite hard for anyone to catch up with him for now. “There has also been a wave of young talents who are making the circuit very competitive and interesting. I can only continue to work hard to try and do well in tournaments, and the rankings will take care of itself.” With eight titles in 2022, Danish world and Olympic champion Axelsen holds a near-unassailable lead with 120,606 points, followed by Malaysia’s Lee Zii Jia (92,528) and Loh (82,874). Loh moved past Denmark’s Anders Antonsen (now fifth, 78,400 points) and Taiwanese Chou Tien-chen (fourth, 81,526) as the Badminton World Federation continues to gradually unfreeze and remove points earned in 2021. The points had remained as competitions were suspended from March to October in 2020 and many others were postponed after that, owing to the pandemic. Only the 10 highest point tallies are counted in the world ranking tabulation. In his first year of playing in all the top-tiered competitions on the BWF World Tour, Loh has reached at least the quarter-finals in 11 of 15 events (seven of 11 on the World Tour) in 2022. This consistency also means he is poised to qualify for the first time for the Dec 14-18 BWF World Tour Finals, reserved for the top eight in the Race to Guangzhou ranking. MORE ON THIS TOPIC How did Loh Kean Yew and Viktor Axelsen's badminton bromance begin? Loh was 27th in May, and still only 11th before the European swing in October. But a semi-final appearance at the Denmark Open and quarter-final runs at the French and Hylo Opens helped him overtake China’s Zhao Junpeng and Lu Guangzu, India’s Lakshya Sen and Lee into seventh place. Loh said: “I would be lying if I said I wasn’t keeping track every week, and it has been both exciting and stressful because the points are very close and towards the end, you could be left behind after one bad outing.” With just the Nov 15-20 Australian Open left, Loh just needs to beat India’s Mithun Manjunath in the first round to seal his spot at the prestigious season-ender. MORE ON THIS TOPIC Badminton's Loh, pool player Yapp up for top award at returning Singapore Sports Awards Badminton player Loh Kean Yew is The Straits Times' Athlete of the Year 2021 In 2021, female shuttler Yeo Jia Min became the first Singaporean to qualify for the World Tour Finals. Loh said: “Now that I’ve put myself in a good position, I want to get the job done. That said, I have to maintain focus and prepare well because I also want to do well in the tournament. “While I haven’t won a title this year, getting to the World Tour Finals would be a sign that I’m consistently making the latter rounds. I want to get better, and I’m working on it.” MORE ON THIS TOPIC Loh Kean Yew’s revival a ‘great base’ for Paris 2024, says SBA official Heavy is the head that wears the crown: S'pore's shuttler Loh Kean Yew on his struggles with form
