Yeo Jia Min

Rising S’pore shuttler Yeo Jia Min is new world junior No 1


Yeo Jia Min displaced Malaysia’s Goh Jin Wei in the latest Badminton World Federation (BWF) junior world rankings to reach the top spot for the first time in her career. Photo: OUE Singapore Open

Teenager reaches top spot for the first time in latest world rankings for U-19 players

By Teo Teng Kiat
tengkiat.teo@mediacorp.com.sg -
Published: 10:55 PM, June 8, 2017

SINGAPORE – Rising local shuttler Yeo Jia Min added another feather to her cap after she was named the world No 1 female junior on Thursday (June 8).

The 18-year-old displaced Malaysia’s Goh Jin Wei in the latest Badminton World Federation (BWF) junior world rankings to reach the top spot for the first time in her career. Juniors are defined as players under 19 years of age by the BWF.

This is the first time that a Singaporean shuttler has reached the top spot in the junior rankings ever since the BWF introduced it in 2011.

When contacted, Yeo told TODAY that she was heartened by the news as it is a reflection of her progress, but added that she is not fixated by the rankings.

“I don’t really look at my rankings, but my parents do and after training this afternoon, my mother texted me and congratulated for being world no. 1,” she said.

“I feel encouraged… I take it step by step and it’s something to continue to push me (to do better). I don’t aim (to do well specifically) for rankings, but it’s part of the process.

“I aim to do my best for every competition and whatever I’ve been working on (in training), I want to see the progress on court.”

Yeo, regarded as one of Singapore’s brightest badminton prospects, rose to world junior no. 2 at the start of this year after a stellar 2016 that saw her claim her first ever professional title at last July’s Yonex Sunrise Vietnam Grand Prix.

Earlier this March, Yeo won the Yonex Dutch Junior International crown for the third U-19 women’s singles title triumph of her career.

She dropped briefly to no. 3 in April but climbed back up one spot at the start of June, before rising to the summit earlier today.

She is currently 62nd on the women’s singles rankings, dropping from her 55th spot last month.

Yeo’s next assignment are two adult competitions, the Crown Group Australian Open from June 20-25 and the Yonex Open Taiwan from June 27 to July 2. That will be followed by the Asia Junior championships from July 22-30, before she heads for August’s SEA Games.

Former SEA Games and Commonwealth Games silver medalllist Derek Wong hailed Yeo’s rise to the top and said he believes that she has the ability and potential to go far in her playing career.

“Making it into the junior ranked No 1 is a great achievement. But it can only be a milestone,” he said.
“She has to think about how to convert that into being one of the very best in the world on the professional circuit.

“However, when I was in the national team and she was training together with the team, and her strength, speed, explosive power and her composure on court was quite remarkable. All she needed was to improve on her consistency and her knowledge of shuttle placement to further improve her game. She has worked on those areas and that has brought her to where she is today.

“I believe with the right mindset and given the right direction from the Singapore Badminton Association, she will be able to break into the top ranks in the world.”

Former national shuttler Ronald Susilo, who was once ranked world No 6 in the men’s singles, agreed.

“While it’s good that we have a world No 1 junior, at the end of the day, it’s how you go to the senior level and perform,” he said.

“Of course, she is still young and there’s so much to improve in order to get to the world class level.
“But, congratulations to her. What is important is for her to get to the senior level, and be able to compete at that level.

“If she can do that, it will be good for her, and for Singapore.

“Making the transition from junior to senior level is a big difference as the seniors are more mature, faster and stronger. In Singapore, there are currently not many sparring partners (to work with her), so it’s not going to be easy for her.”

 

Badminton: Junior shuttler on top of the world

Fleet-footed Yeo Jia Min (right) comparing the sole of her shoes with assistant national singles coach Fu Mingtian during a training session at OCBC Arena yesterday. Her speed is one of her biggest assets.ST PHOTO: DAVE LIM

Published
10 hours ago

S'pore's world No. 1 junior not focused on rankings but improvement
May Chen
maychen@sph.com.sg

Congratulations have flowed from team-mates and coaches. There has even been some teasing from friends about her new status.

But as national shuttler Yeo Jia Min walked into the OCBC Arena for training as the newly-minted world No. 1 junior yesterday, she made sure none of the usual drills over a three-hour training session changed.

If anything, the soft-spoken and fleet-footed player was only more aware of the pressing need to do better and aim for more.

The 18-year-old became Singapore's first top-ranked badminton player - junior or senior, singles or doubles - when the latest world rankings were released by the Badminton World Federation on Thursday.

But with just six months of eligibility left in junior events - they are meant for those aged 19 and below - she has already turned her focus to the senior circuit.

"I don't really plan on taking part in (many) more junior tournaments," she told The Straits Times after training yesterday.

The Asia Junior Championships next month and the World Junior Championships in October - both in Indonesia - will be her last two junior tournaments.

MAKING THE STEP UP

Senior competitions require (us to be) more tactical, patient, and consistent. (Success) can't be achieved without a certain level of speed and fitness.

'' YEO JIA MIN, the world No. 1 junior, on the difference between senior and youth competitions and what it takes to do well at the highest level.

She added: "I cannot be focusing on the rewards, the rankings - I have to think about the now."

Moving to the senior circuit, where she is ranked world No. 62, will mean facing the giants of the sport.

Doing well at youth level has not always guaranteed glory at the biggest stages, even though numerous shuttlers have turned their potential into success.

Yeo rattled off a few names, including Japan's Akane Yamaguchi, a two-time world junior champion ranked No. 4 in the world at just 19 years old.

Singapore's No. 2 - behind world No. 28 Liang Xiaoyu - is relishing the challenge ahead.

"Senior competitions require (us to be) more tactical, patient, and consistent. (Success) can't be achieved without a certain level of speed and fitness," she said before her next tournament, the Australian Open in Sydney that starts on June 20.

"Everyone peaks at different times. Now it's Tai Tzu-ying (Chinese Taipei, 22)," she said of the world No. 1.

"A while ago it was (world champion) Ratchanok Intanon (Thailand, 22), and then (Olympic champion) Carolina Marin (Spain, 23).

"I don't think 'they peaked at a certain time so I have to do it too'. I just go with the flow, constantly do what I need to do.

"I'm quite happy with my progress in training and I can't wait to go on court and see how the training has been working."

Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Grace Fu also lauded Yeo yesterday. She posted a congratulatory note on her Facebook page, saying: "Very proud that our Team Singapore youth shuttler Yeo Jia Min is now the world's No. 1 junior badminton player...

"Her sporting achievements at this young age (are) commendable, through her hard work and a good support system... I hope more youth athletes will be inspired by Jia Min's achievements. We will continue to support our aspiring talents, and nurture the next generation of sporting champions for Singapore!"

While Yeo, who has been training as a full-time player since the middle of last year, places little emphasis on numbers and rankings, the figures do provide affirmation.

She said: "It's encouragement to see that I'm on the right track. It's proof that Singapore badminton can also do well on the world circuit."

 

World junior No 1 today, Olympic medallist in three years’ time


Yeo Jia Min is aiming to be among the world's top 10 and win an Olympic medal within the next five years. Photo: Trung Ho


Being No 1 now is no big deal for young S’pore shuttler Yeo Jia Min, who has far more lofty ambitions

By Teo Teng Kiat
Published 8:00 PM, June 10, 2017
Updated 8:00 PM, June 10, 2017


SINGAPORE – Local and world badminton history was created this week when the Badminton World Federation (BWF) released its updated world rankings for players on Thursday morning (June 8).

For the first time ever, a Singaporean emerged top of the female singles’ junior list.

That person was none other than Yeo Jia Min, who had spent 15 of the preceding 21 weeks at No. 2. In rising to the pinnacle of the junior rankings, she displaced Malaysia’s Goh Jin Wei to become the first-ever Singapore to rank world No. 1 in the sport at either senior and junior (Under-19) level.

It is the latest milestone for the 18-year-old, currently local badminton’s brightest prospect.

Yeo captured her first professional title at last July’s Yonex Sunrise Vietnam Grand Prix, while also claiming a third career U-19 title with her Yonex Dutch Junior International triumph earlier in March.

The careers of previous world No. 1 female juniors suggest that Yeo has the potential to do well when she makes the leap to the professional level next year.

After all, Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi is world no. 4, while her compatriots Nozomi Okuhara and Aya Ohori are 13th and 19th.

China’s He Bingjiao is 7th, Chen Yufei is 9th, while Thailand’s Ratchanok Intanon, Busanan Ongbamrungphan and Pornpawee Chochuwong are 8th, 12th and 20th respectively.

Yeo, who doesn’t keep track of her rankings and was only informed of her No. 1 achievement through a text message from her mother, does not want to be the odd one out, nor a flash in the pan.

“My goal is to break through on the world stage and do well,” the soft-spoken teen told TODAY recently. “I won’t say I think of it every day, but that’s my goal.

“I think what people want (to see) from me and what I want from myself is the same, maybe even higher.”

OLYMPIC DREAMS

Despite being ranked 62nd in the world, the Singapore Sports School graduate has lofty aims.

She is targeting a medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and wants to be among the world’s elite in five years’ time.

She will be 22 then, which is when female players tend to peak. Current world no. 1 Tai Tzu-ying of Taiwan is 22, while no. 2 Carolina Marin of Spain is 23.

“I hope by then I can at least be in the top five or top 10 so that I’ll have a good chance of winning a medal in the Olympics,” said the former Asian U-15 and U-17 champion.

Singapore Badminton Association (SBA) chief coach Chua Yong Joo thinks Yeo can do it. “I think she can definitely be our next No. 1 singles (female player), there’s huge potential in her,” he said.

The former national shuttler added that there are high hopes for Yeo, whom he believes has progressed well over the past two years after recovering from a knee injury in 2015 that put paid to a SEA Games debut that year.

“The thing now is (to figure out) how we can get her to the 2020 Olympics, hopefully to even win a medal.”

PLAY SMART

Yeo believes her game has matured both physically and mentally but insisted she still has a long way to go as she prepares to transit to senior level badminton next year.

“There’s still a big improvement to be made in areas like gameplay, tactics and the control of the shuttle on court, especially in big halls that are a bit windy, and how to control my rhythm on court, so I can have more shot consistency, and how to adapt to different players as well,” she rattled off.

She has also come to realise the importance of having smarts and the virtue of patience.

“My style of play won’t change, it’s still sort of attacking, but now I have to incorporate different things and elements to bring out that attacking strength even more,” she explained.

“I have to improve other areas like controlling my opponents. It’s basically like chess, you need to know how to move them around, so that your attacks will be more effective.

“It may take longer for opportunities to come and I have to be more alert to those and really make use of them, or the opponent will take advantage instead.

“I think you have to be more patient and also more decisive… more daring.”

Yeo put school on hold at the start of last year to train full-time. She is self studying and plans to apply to take the international ‘A’ Levels when she is “ready”.

This arrangement allows her to train at least 10 times weekly. She has two sessions daily except on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Sundays are rest days. She also does extra conditioning work on her own.

“I enjoy (training) because badminton is my passion,” she said. “I love doing what I do.”

WORLD JUNIOR TITLE AIM

Due to a lack of female sparring partners, Yeo trains with her male teammates instead. It is not ideal, but it does not deter her.

“There are definitely still differences in game play,” she said.

“So it’s good I can come out and play competitions. Then I will be playing with girls, and can see how the things I have worked on works with them.

“Maybe I will be able to improve faster (with more partners) but I can’t control that. I just have to train smarter.”

It also means that she is usually alone with just her coach at tournaments, but she is not fazed by that either.

“Other teams will have many team-mates, and sometimes it can be lonely, but it’s part of the journey,” she reasoned.

“You can say that Marin is also lonely, or maybe Tai Tzu-ying… it doesn’t really affect me a lot.”

Yeo will take on more senior competitions this year to ease her transition from junior level, but has also set her sights on two major junior titles.

“My goal this year is to win the Asia Junior and World Junior championships, and do well for this SEA Games,” she declared.

“If I continue to work on the things I need to improve, from now until then, then I should be able to play well.”

 

Steely determination to succeed beneath shuttler Yeo Jia Min's unassuming nature
https://sg.news.yahoo.com/steely-de...yeo-jia-mins-unassuming-nature-082530114.html


Chia Han Keong
Editor
Yahoo News Singapore29 August 2019


SINGAPORE — Most athletes would be eager to bask in the glory of achieving a slice of sporting history for their country. Not Yeo Jia Min.

Days after becoming the first Singaporean women’s singles player to reach the quarter-final stage of the Badminton World Championships, she is already back at the grind of training, honing her already-exquisite shot-making skills at the OCBC Arena on Thursday (29 August).

When asked by Yahoo News Singapore about her biggest gratification after her memorable exploits last week in Basel, Switzerland, the soft-spoken 20-year-old did not mention the praises and adulation from members of the public.

Instead, she said, “One of my acquaintances told me that her children began to play badminton more often, after watching me at the World Championships.

“That makes me really happy. I’ve always wanted to be a positive influence for my sport, to encourage more people to take up badminton. So that’s what gives me the most satisfaction after the World Championships.”


Shuttler Yeo Jia Min, who is the first Singaporean women's singles player to reach to quarter-final stage of the Badminton World Championships. (PHOTO: Dhany Osman/Yahoo News Singapore)


Shuttler Yeo Jia Min, who is the first Singaporean women's singles player to reach to quarter-final stage of the Badminton World Championships. (PHOTO: Dhany Osman/Yahoo News Singapore)

Modest nature despite eye-catching headlines
It is typical of Yeo’s modest and unassuming nature, even though she has already created plenty of eye-catching headlines in the Singapore badminton community – one which has had its fair share of local sporting heroes such as Wong Peng Soon in the 1950s, Zarinah Abdullah in the 1990s, and Ronald Susilo in the 2000s.

It may have found a new sensation in Yeo. A stirring run at the World Championships saw Yeo beating world No. 1 Akane Yamaguchi in a stunning upset in her round-of-32 match, followed by her win over Vietnam’s Vu Thi Trang in the next round.

Even back in 2017, she was already making history, by being the first Singaporean shuttler to reach the top of the world junior rankings.

It has been a steady rise for the former Singapore Sports School student since she began training full-time in 2016 for the sport she picked up when she was in Primary 2.

Now ranked world No. 28 – a big improvement from her No. 146 ranking in July last year – Yeo has already won two titles in the Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Tour circuit: last year’s Vietnam Open and the Hyderabad Open just before the World Championships.

“I think I’ve become more independent mentally in the past year. Badminton’s such a fast-paced game, you don’t have time to consider a lot of things. I have to adapt accordingly to all sorts of players and situations,” she said.

“At the same time, I had to control my emotions, so I can focus on just the game and not think about everything that is outside of the court. I think I’ve improved a lot of that aspect.”


Shuttler Yeo Jia Min, who is the first Singaporean women's singles player to reach to quarter-final stage of the Badminton World Championships. (PHOTO: Dhany Osman/Yahoo News Singapore)

No time to rest on laurels
She has little time to rest on her laurels, as she is continuing to compete on the BWF World Tour, flying off to Taipei on Sunday for next week’s Chinese Taipei Open.

But just like her idol, Malaysian badminton star Lee Chong Wei, Yeo has a steely determination to be successful in her chosen sport, brushing aside injury setbacks early on in her career, as well as the tough grind of staking out a name for herself in the highly-competitive Tour circuit.

“In five years’ time, I hope to see myself competing regularly with the top players in the world,” she said.

“My parents and my coaches have always given me great encouragement throughout my career, and I just have to keep on pushing myself hard to achieve my targets.”


Yeo is the first Singaporean women's singles player to reach to quarter-final stage of the Badminton World Championships. (PHOTO: Dhany Osman / Yahoo News Singapore)

Trying to improve all the time
So focused is Yeo that she barely has time to pursue other interests, although she reveals that she is keen on learning a few new languages, including Korean so that she could follow her favourite Korean television shows.

She would not have it any other way, though. In fact, the only moments when she feels down are when she is injured and could not train.

“If I cannot train, then I cannot improve,” she said. “You have to try and improve all the time, in every situation. Every different day is a different court, a different situation and a different obstacle to conquer.

“Even when I win a match, it doesn’t mean that there is nothing more to improve. And if I lose a match, I would find motivation when I see progress.”

So does it mean she is fine with losing matches in her single-minded search for improvement?

For the first time in the interview, Yeo broke into a wide grin and said, “Of course not lah! I still want to win every match I’m in.”

 

Badminton: 'Tiger-looking' Yeo Jia Min wants more than just success on court


National shuttler Yeo Jia Min at the OCBC Arena on Aug 2, 2019. The 20-year-old is the first Singapore woman to reach the singles quarter-final at the world championships.ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI

Published
Aug 31, 2019, 12:37 pm SGT

Nicole Chia

SINGAPORE - Yeo Jia Min watched the flying shuttlecocks at the OCBC Arena as she pondered the questions asked in this interview, as though looking to the court for answers.

She is a woman of few words, but her achievements on the badminton court have so far done the talking for her and the court is where she has found confidence.

This confidence led to her remarkable quarter-final run at last week's BWF World Championships, during which she upset world No. 1 Akane Yamaguchi in the second round.

It is in her trademark unassuming tone that Yeo says: "Even before I played or won, I already had confidence in myself, so I think (this result) gives me more motivation to train harder."

A picture of Yeo's celebration after her victory over Yamaguchi shows the Singaporean kneeling on court and pumping both fists, her eyes shut as she exclaims in triumph.

It is a picture that captures the ferocity with which the soft-spoken Yeo competes, one that surprises even her friends.

Smiling as she described how some of her friends have made memes of her facial expressions, Yeo told The Straits Times: "(There's a photo) of my face looking 'chill', another with a focused expression, then there's one 'tiger-looking' face."

The 20-year-old is the first Singapore woman to reach the singles quarter-final at the world championships but she is not revelling in her history-making accomplishment or her giant-killing feat.

Instead, it is her 21-17, 21-11 quarter-final loss to 2013 world champion Ratchanok Intanon that has been on her mind.



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Badminton: Singapore shuttler Yeo Jia Min shocks world No. 1 Yamaguchi in decisive win

"I've been thinking of the match every day and how I can prepare and perform better. I think of that loss more than the wins," she said.

Yeo, who was back in the gym the day after returning from Basel, Switzerland, believes she did not move as fast as she could against Ratchanok because she did not recover well from her previous match, a gruelling 72-minute battle with Vietnam's Vu Thi Trang.

That is just one lesson among many others that she has learnt over the past year.

A two-month professional stint with Danish badminton club Ab Aarhus from October to December last year has helped with her improvement on court, but her time in Denmark taught her more off the court.

"I did everything on my own - go for training, cook, liaise with (the club) and with the Singapore Badminton Association, fly to and from competitions," said Yeo, who sought her mother's help in sending her recipes for Asian dishes. "I became more independent."

Initial kitchen disasters did not faze her, though a sheepish expression crossed Yeo's face as she recounted: "There was once when I put noodles inside the pan without boiling them first, and they weren't cooking and I just left them there."

She fell in love with badminton at age seven, saying: "I like that there are so many (elements) to the game - mental, physical, tactical, technical. There are always things to work on and new challenges, and I like seeing progress in my game and in training. That's one of my motivations."

Yeo had been tipped as a rising star even before she started training full-time in 2016, the year she won the first of her three BWF titles at the Vietnam Open.

She was the first Singaporean to win the girls' Under-15 title at the Badminton Asia Junior Championships when she triumphed in 2013, and two years later she won the Under-17 title.





She was also the junior world No. 1 in 2017, becoming the first from the Republic to top any of badminton's world rankings. Her achievement at the world championships has led to a career-high world ranking of No. 28 and though this may mean greater scrutiny and expectation, Yeo is not bothered.

"I don't feel pressure, I just feel very blessed and honoured to be the one to make history," she said.

She has drawn strength from her Christian faith when encountering setbacks like the injury that denied her a SEA Games debut in 2015 and the bout of gastric flu that ruled her out of the junior world championships that same year.

Her goal when she was 14 was to win an Olympic medal and while that has not changed today, she is also seeking something bigger.

"A lot of other players definitely have the same dream, which is to reach the highest level of competition at the Olympics. But more than that, I (also) want to have an influence, not just on Singaporeans, but on anyone I may come across," she explained.

"I'm blessed to be able to play well and I think I should use this gift to my fullest and hopefully through my hard work, I can be a positive influence on people.

"Of course you strive for excellence, but it's not everything."

Still, she knows the areas of her game to improve to get closer to her goal: bettering her footwork for more stable and efficient movement, and honing her mental strength for greater focus.

Yeo will book her ticket to the Games if she is within the top 38 in the BWF's Olympic rankings by April 28 next year.

Unlike the world rankings, which take into account points from the top 10 competitions in the last 52 weeks, the Olympic listing is calculated using a player's 10 best tournaments in the qualifying period.

She has no superstitions but at last month's Hyderabad Open, she started telling herself before walking out on court: "God is with me." She won the tournament and continued that ritual at the world championships.

Off the court, she is working on mastering another language - Japanese this time, after already learning Korean.

"I have many Japanese friends, and I find Japanese quite a nice language," said Yeo, who admires men's world No. 1 Kento Momota for his composure.

"When you learn a language, you learn its culture and other things about the country, and I find it quite satisfying when you improve and can converse in the language."

It is only when this reporter suggests that perhaps being fluent in Japanese would help if she qualifies for the Tokyo Olympic Games next year that Yeo bursts into laughter.

"Maybe."

Yeo may say little, but her feats have spoken volumes of the potential that is to be unleashed.

 

Badminton: S'pore's Yeo Jia Min beats Denmark's Line Christophersen at Indonesia Masters

National shuttler Yeo Jia Min at the Indonesia Masters on Nov 17, 2021.PHOTO: BADMINTON PHOTO

Kimberly Kwek

• PUBLISHED
  NOV 17, 2021, 9:28 PM SGT

FACEBOOKTWITTER

SINGAPORE - National shuttler Yeo Jia Min advanced to the second round of the Indonesia Masters on Wednesday (Nov 17) after beating Denmark's Line Christophersen 21-18, 21-18 in the opening round.

The pair went toe to toe for the bulk of the first game at the Bali International Convention Centre, until Yeo pulled away towards the end.

She rode on that momentum in the second game, going up 6-0 in the first few minutes.

Although the 26th-ranked Dane narrowed the deficit to draw level at 18-18, Yeo held on to win 21-18.

The 22-year-old, who broke into the top 20 of the world rankings earlier this month after a runner-up finish at the US$320,000 (S$432,000) Hylo Open in Germany, will face Japan's world No. 49 Saena Kawakami next.

In their three encounters so far, Kawakami has won twice, including their last meeting at the Yonex Open Chinese Taipei 2017.

The Indonesia Masters is a US$600,000 (S$812,000) Badminton World Federation World Tour Super 750 event, one tier above the Super 500 Hylo Open.

Compatriot Loh Kean Yew will face Chinese Taipei's world No. 4 Chou Tien-chen in the second round on Thursday.

The Singaporean has beaten Chou in straight sets in their last two meetings, with their most recent encounter coming at the Hylo Open.

#1727Loh, Nov 18, 2021

 

Badminton: Singapore's Yeo Jia Min loses in Indonesia Masters quarter-finals

National shuttler Yeo Jia Min lost 21-12, 21-13 to Thailand's world No. 27 Phittayaporn Chaiwan.PHOTO: BADMINTON PHOTO

David Lee

• PUBLISHED
  NOV 19, 2021, 5:44 PM SGT

FACEBOOKTWITTER

SINGAPORE - National shuttler Yeo Jia Min's Indonesia Masters run ended in the quarter-finals after she lost 21-12, 21-13 to Thailand's world No. 27 Phittayaporn Chaiwan on Friday (Nov 19).

Despite the defeat, the 22-year-old will earn US$3,300 (S$4,490) in prize money and is likely to improve on her career-high world No. 20 ranking when the new list is out on Tuesday.

She had initially kept pace with her 20-year-old opponent and was tied at 10-10 in the first game before Phittayaporn caught fire and won 11 of the next 13 points.

It was a similar story in the second frame as Yeo got to within two points at 14-12, but went on to win just one out of the next eight points.

Nevertheless, it has been a positive outing as she had battled flu since she finished second at the Hylo Open in Germany on Nov 7. After contemplating withdrawal, she beat Denmark's world No. 26 Line Christophersen and Japan's 49th-ranked Saena Kawakami.

Her loss ends Singapore's involvement at the US$600,000 Badminton World Federation World Tour Super 750 event at the Bali International Convention Centre.

On Thursday, compatriot and Hylo Open men's singles champion Loh Kean Yew was beaten by Chinese Taipei's world No. 4 Chou Tien-chen in the round of 16.

The Singaporeans next event is next week's Nov 23-28 Indonesian Open, a Super 1000 event, at the same venue.

#1730Loh, Nov 20, 2021

 

1. Badminton: Yeo Jia Min becomes first Singaporean to qualify for BWF World Tour Finals
   
   National shuttler Yeo Jia Min at the Daihatsu Indonesia Open on Nov 17, 2021.PHOTO: BADMINTON PHOTO
   
   David Lee
   • PUBLISHED
     NOV 25, 2021, 7:01 PM SGT
   FACEBOOKTWITTER
   
   SINGAPORE - Despite losing 21-15, 19-21, 21-14 to Japanese world No. 3 Akane Yamaguchi in the second round of the Indonesia Open on Thursday (Nov 25), the Republic's top female shuttler Yeo Jia Min had good reason to be upbeat.
   
   The world No. 18 has done enough to become the first Singaporean to qualify for the season-ending Badminton World Federation World Tour Finals. The event will also be held at the Bali International Convention Centre from Dec 1-5.
   
   The US$1.5 million (S$2.05 million) World Tour Finals will feature the top eight singles and doubles players with the most BWF World Tour points in a calendar year.
   
   Following a string of fine results that include a runner-up finish at the BWF World Tour Super 500 Hylo Open in Germany, which also led to her career-high world ranking, Yeo is projected to finish ninth on the Road to Bali rankings.
   
   With each country allowed to field a maximum of only two players at the World Tour Finals, the 22-year-old will move past two of the four Thais ahead of her in the rankings to qualify as the seventh seed.
   
   There are no more players left in the ongoing US$850,000 Indonesia Open, which is a tier below the Finals, who can overtake Yeo in the rankings.
   
   She told The Straits Times: “I didn’t know I was the first Singaporean to do so. I’m grateful for this chance and I will make use of it to improve even more.”
   
   Singapore Badminton Association chief executive officer Alan Ow said: "This is a fantastic achievement for Singapore badminton, and we are proud of Jia Min for creating history.
   
   "Singapore has a lot of talented shuttlers. Hopefully Jia Min's feat inspires them and gives them confidence that we are able to compete on the world stage.
   
   "Jia Min and (Loh) Kean Yew have gained valuable experience from the last Olympics and this can be seen in their recent performances. It is important that they keep up this level of consistency and keep improving as we work towards Paris 2024."
   
   In the match against former world No. 1 Yamaguchi, Yeo overcame a scraped right knee to level the match with some good defence and deceptive shots after losing the opening game.
   
   However, the 24-year-old Japanese stepped up a gear in the decider to avenge her defeat by Yeo at the 2019 World Championships and take a 2-1 lead in their head-to-head record.
   
   Yeo, who collected a US$2,550 cheque, said: “My knee is okay, but it kept bleeding so they had to stop me a few times because blood is not allowed on court.
   
   “Akane was just better in focus and consistency over the last few points. It’s always disappointing not to get the win but I’m feeling positive and will keep finding things to improve on.”
   
   Nevertheless, she can reflect on a strong finish to a year in which she was disappointed not to have progressed further at the Tokyo Olympics after being eliminated at the group stage.
   
   She said: “I think I overcame a mental barrier after the Olympics by acknowledging and facing my weaknesses to improve. It’s been a year of growth where I’m not afraid to face challenges, and I’m thankful for the experiences and people supporting my journey.
   
   “I just want to keep playing better in every game and do my best to win as many matches as I can at the World Tour Finals and (Dec 12-19) World Championships (in Spain).”
   
   #1739Loh, Friday at 9:52 AM
   

 

Badminton: Singapore's Yeo Jia Min, Loh Kean Yew into semis of Hylo Open

Singapore Badminton Association technical director Martin Andrew told The Straits Times that a place in the top 10 is not beyond Yeo Jia Min (left) and Loh Kean Yew (right).PHOTO: BADMINTON PHOTO

David Lee

• PUBLISHED
  NOV 5, 2021, 10:48 PM SGT

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SINGAPORE - National shuttlers Loh Kean Yew and Yeo Jia Min displayed tremendous mental fortitude to advance to the last four of a BWF World Tour Super 500 – the fourth-highest level on badminton’s world tour – event for the first time in their respective careers.

In the US$320,000 (S$431,000) Hylo Open men’s singles quarter-final on Friday (Nov 5), world No. 39 Loh was 20-19 down in the decider and facing matchpoint when he pulled off what he called “The Matrix” move.

He had played a backhand shot at the net too high at the middle of the court, and was at the mercy of Denmark’s world No. 13 Rasmus Gemke who pounced with a backhand smash aimed at Loh’s body.

Incredibly, the Singaporean arched his back and leaned back like what Neo did to dodge bullets in the iconic scene of the 1999 cult classic film, as the shuttlecock flew out for deuce.

Visibly rattled, Gemke made two unforced errors, firing into the net and out wide in the next two points as Loh eked a hard-earned 21-11, 19-21, 22-20 victory over 72 minutes.

On Saturday, he will face a familiar foe in India’s world No. 21 Lakshya Sen for a place in Sunday’s final at the Saarlandhalle in Saarbrucken. Loh had beaten Sen to win the Dutch Open in October, but lost to the same opponent in the round of 16 at the French Open last week.

When asked about the match-saving move, the 24-year-old quipped with a laugh: “Just like in The Matrix!

“It’s instinct and reflexes. At that moment, it felt high, so I gambled on it going out. Luckily for me it did.”

There was nothing fortunate about his overall performance as he kept his focus despite the disappointment of not being able to seal the win with the second game after leading 17-14.

In the third game, he was 16-12 down but won five points in a row, including a lung-busting 42-shot rally to take the lead.

Loh said: “I was in control of the rhythm at first, but he was more ready for my game plan in the second game and that made it harder for me to break his rhythm.

“I went for broke when I was four down in the decider, became more aggressive, and it worked. I cannot even remember what I was thinking at that point except that I was focused on getting the shuttle over in every point, except that one at 20-19.

“I’m not thinking about much else now other than to rest and recover well for the semi-final, which will be tough, so I’m mentally prepared for another gruelling game and aiming to come out on top again.”

Also looking to make the final is women’s singles world No. 26 Yeo, who recovered to beat Belgian Lianne Tan 14-21, 21-9, 21-18 in 56 minutes.

She also did it the hard way against the 38th-ranked Tan, who benefited from tight line calls during the tense 56 minute clash but eventually ran out of steam.

Yeo will face Canada’s world No. 11 Michelle Li on Saturday for a place in Sunday’s final. Li, 30, had won their previous two encounters in 2019.

Yeo said: “Discomfort in my knee affected my movement in the first game. I didn’t want to lose this way, so I picked myself back up for the second and third.

“In the decider, I focused more on the game play than the points.”

“I’m happy and grateful to reach the semi-finals here and I’ll do my best to go further.”

The 22-year-old has been in fine form to dispatch Chinese Taipei’s world No. 39 Pai Yu Po, Indonesia’s world No. 23 Gregoria Mariska Tunjung and now Tan.

Similarly, Loh has beaten three top-15 players, including Malaysia’s world No. 8 and All-England champion Lee Zii Jia and Taiwanese world No. 4 Chou Tien-chen, over the past two weeks.

He also overcame France’s world No. 35 Toma Junior Popov 21-15, 11-21, 21-15 in the round of 16 on Thursday.

As their world rankings are expected to rise, with a career best expected for Yeo who was 24th in 2019, Singapore Badminton Association technical director Martin Andrew told The Straits Times that a place in the top 10 is not beyond Yeo and Loh.

He said: “Both players have the ability to reach the top 10, but the challenge is tough and it’s such a high level. They need to be able to consistently perform match after match and have the physical robustness to do that.

“They have identified development goals, and are working hard on all areas of their games.

“Both Jia Min and Kean Yew are showing the level of performances they are capable of. Their performances at these current European tournaments have been strong, showing some real development since the Tokyo Olympics.

“They are also showing some really good match intelligence against high-level opponents which stands them in good stead as we move forward and continue building.

“They have had good discussions with the coaches since the Olympics and have a strong focus on doing well in the next two to three years and delivering high-level performances at Paris 2024.”

Meanwhile at the Hungarian International, a US$5,000 International Series event, Singapore’s world No. 147 Jason Teh’s run ended with a quarter-final defeat by India’s world No. 235 Meiraba Luwang Maisnam who won 17-21 21-18 21-18 in 84 minutes.

#1686Loh, Nov 6, 2021

 

Badminton: S'porean Yeo Jia Min finishes 2nd in Germany
Badminton: S'porean Yeo Jia Min finishes 2nd in Germany - Mothership.SG - News from Singapore, Asia and around the world

She beat formidable opponents to reach the finals.

Belmont Lay | November 08, 2021, 05:31 AM


Singaporean badminton player Yeo Jia Min, ranked world No. 26, finished second in the Hylo Open in Saarbrucken, Germany, falling to Thailand's world No. 14 Busanan Ongbamrungphan 21-10, 21-14 in the women's singles final.

The second-place finish meant that Yeo missed out on the biggest title of her career so far.

The 25-year-old Thai secured the victory in 35 minutes to win her first Badminton World Federation World Tour Super 500 title on Sunday, Nov. 7.

Despite the loss, Yeo did good in her first Super 500 final.

The 22-year-old Singaporean took home a cheque for US$12,160 (S$16,400) and 7,800 ranking points.

The points would allow her to break into the world's top 20 for the first time.

Yeo can also stand tall knowing that she faced and beat formidable opponents: Pai Yu-po (Chinese Taipei world No. 39), Gregoria Mariska Tunjung (Indonesia world No. 23), Lianne Tan (Belgium world No. 38) and Michelle Li (Canada world No. 11).

Yeo and her teammate Loh Kean Yew, 24, have completed a month of competition in Europe and will return to Asia for the Nov. 16 to 21 Indonesia Masters and Nov. 23 to 28 Indonesia Open.

https://mothership.sg/2021/11/badminton-loh-kean-yew-champion-germany/


#1696Loh, Nov 8, 2021