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Singapore shuttlers shine at Hyderabad Open

Singapore shuttlers Yeo Jia Min and Loh Kean Yew finished first and second respectively at the Hyderabad Open in India on Sunday (Aug 11).

Yeo, the 20-year-old women's top seed, defeated South Korea's 17-year-old second seed An Se Young 12-21, 21-17, 21-19 to win the final and the US$5,625 (S$7,800) prize money.

Expressing her gratitude to Team Singapore, Yeo said: "I’m glad to have won in the final after a week of competing. I played a few rubber games in this tournament , but I did not have any problems with my physical (condition).

"Leading off to Tokyo 2020, I have been trying to improve myself in every game. This win will motivate me more to continue fighting hard in the next tournaments to come."

In the men's singles, Singapore's world No. 41 Loh Kean Yew clinched the runner-up's spot and a US$2,850 cheque after losing 13-21, 21-14, 16-21 to India's world No. 44 Sourabh Verma in the final.

Buoyed by their performances at the sixth-tier BWF Tour Super 100 event, both Singaporean shuttlers will be shifting their attention to the Aug 19-25 BWF World Championships in Switzerland, where tough assignments await.

Yeo, who is ranked world No. 30, will be taking on 59th-ranked Aliye Demirbag of Turkey in the first round, with the winner facing world No. 1 Akane Yamaguchi of Japan in the second round.

Loh, 22, will start his campaign against India's 10th-ranked Sameer Verma, who will be eager to make amends after his second-round exit at the Hyderabad Open.

Sameer, who received a bye in the first round, lost 21-18, 21-11 to South Korea's Heo Kwang Hee in less than 28 minutes.

badmintonYeo Jia Min