Skip to main content
Home The New Paper
  • Home
  • News
    • Singapore
    • World
    • Business
    • Views
    • Backstage
    • Others
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Singapore Football
    • Team Singapore
    • School Sports
    • Athletics
    • Basketball
    • Cricket
    • Swimming
    • Tennis
    • Golf
    • Racing
    • Others
  • Entertainment
    • Movies
    • Music
    • TV
    • Star Style
    • School of Frock
  • Lifestyle
    • Makan
    • Hed Chef
    • Weets Eats
    • Health
    • Tech
    • Travel
    • Fashion
    • Shopping
    • Biker Boy
    • Celeb Chow
    • Others
  • Racing
  • Your Tip-Offs
  • Read E-Paper
  • Contests
  • Coupon
  • Team

Popular

  • COURT & CRIME
  • Food & Drink
Team Singapore

Loh Kean Yew pushes world No. 7 close at Yonex Thailand Open

Loh Kean Yew
Loh Kean Yew in action during his 13-21, 21-10, 21-16 defeat by world No. 7 and reigning Asian Games champion Jonatan Christie at the Yonex Thailand Open.BadmintonPhoto

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

Dilenjit Singh
Sub Editor
Jan 12, 2021 02:19 pm
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on WhatsApp
  • E-mail this article
  • 0 Engagements

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

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

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

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

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

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

Singapore's world No. 37 Loh Kean Yew has defeated two top-10 players in two months.
Sports

Loh Kean Yew's giant-killing act continues with win over world No. 2

Feb 13, 2020

Related Stories

Singapore shuttler Loh Kean Yew defeats Japan's world No. 10 Kanta Tsuneyama

Singapore shuttler Loh Kean Yew stuns Lin Dan to clinch Thai title

Kean Yew's amazing ride to badminton semis

But the Indonesian looked a different player in the second set, coming out of the blocks firing as he took a 7-0 lead before eventually brushing Loh aside 21-10.

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

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

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

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

Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now

Loh Kean Yewbadminton

Dilenjit Singh

Sub Editor
dilen@sph.com.sg
Read articles by Dilenjit Singh
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on WhatsApp
  • E-mail this article
  • Newslink -  Purchase this article for republication

Top Stories this Month

Let’s cancel Chinese New Year
Lifestyle

Let's cancel Chinese New Year

Jan 25, 2021
After one year of Covid in Singapore: Case 38
Singapore

A year on, recovered virus patient still can't taste or smell

Jan 22, 2021
Let’s cancel Chinese New Year
Lifestyle

Let's cancel Chinese New Year

Jan 25, 2021
Home
  • Contests
  • Coupon
  • Team
  • Home
  • News
    • Singapore
    • World
    • Business
    • Views
    • Backstage
    • Others
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Singapore Football
    • Team Singapore
    • School Sports
    • Athletics
    • Basketball
    • Cricket
    • Swimming
    • Tennis
    • Golf
    • Racing
    • Others
  • Entertainment
    • Movies
    • Music
    • TV
    • Star Style
    • School of Frock
  • Lifestyle
    • Makan
    • Hed Chef
    • Weets Eats
    • Health
    • Tech
    • Travel
    • Fashion
    • Shopping
    • Biker Boy
    • Celeb Chow
    • Others
  • Racing
  • Your Tip-Offs
  • Read E-Paper
  • Contact TNP
  • About SPH
  • Privacy Statement
  • Data Protection Policy
  • Member Terms & Conditions
  • Website Terms & Conditions
SPH Digital News Copyright © 2021 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. Co. Regn No. 198402868E