Singapore Badminton Scene

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

  1. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    M’sian badminton legend Lee Chong Wei receives coaching offers, rumoured he might go to S'pore
    Malaysian media said it would be "disheartening" for Malaysia if Lee accepts an offer from another Asian country.

    Ashley Tan | [​IMG] April 06, 2022, 08:41 PM

    [​IMG]

    Follow us on Telegram for the latest updates: https://t.me/mothershipsg

    Malaysian badminton legend and Olympian Lee Chong Wei might have retired, but his racket skills are still highly sought after.

    Could Lee head to Singapore?

    Lee revealed to the New Straits Times that he has received offers to be a national badminton coach from several Asian countries.

    He did not say which countries though or whether he would be taking up any of the offers.

    NST, however, suggested that Singapore could be his destination as an advert for a men's singles coach was put up earlier in 2022.

    The Malaysian news outlet reported that the Badminton Association of Malaysia "should quickly consider offering a coaching role" and that "it would be disheartening for Malaysian badminton if Chong Wei accepts an offer from an Asian country and turns their men's singles shuttlers into world-beaters".

    Lee, 40, who retired in 2019, shared that his current priority lies with his family.

    He told NST:

    "Right now, I am very happy with where I am, and that is very important.

    Since retiring, I have been focused on my business, and I am in no rush for anything. Life is meant to be enjoyed."

    Lee should go abroad to coach first: Former mentor

    Lee's former mentor and former national No. 1, Misbun Sidek, advised Lee against accepting any offer in Malaysia.

    Another NST article reported that Misbun believes Lee should head abroad to "prove himself" and "command respect" from his employer and other players before coaching in his home country.

    Misbun shared that he "can't be sure" whether Lee would make a good coach, but that "for a start, he can definitely be a good game analyser".

    He added:

    "But to be a full-fledged coach, he needs time and more experience. As a coach, you need to develop your player to excel physically, mentally, tactically and technically.

    You need to reach a certain level to teach [badminton effectively].

    For now, for him to begin as an advisor or analyser, that shouldn't be a problem."

    Misbun said Lee might be judged on his coaching style and be compared to existing coaches if he starts coaching in Malaysia first.

    Nevertheless, the Malaysia national junior badminton team director feels that "it would be great" for Lee to share and pass down his knowledge to others.

    Badminton legend

    Lee won a record 46 BWF Super Series singles titles and reached 18 Super Series Premier singles finals.

    He is the only man to have won a Career Super Series Premier, meaning he has won all six tournaments at least once.

    He also made history as the player ranked World No. 1 for the longest time — 349 weeks consecutively.

    Additionally, Lee has won 64 BWF titles, second only to Lin Dan's 66, and three Olympic silver medals.

    Lee retired in June 2019 as he had nose cancer and was unable to continue playing as he could potentially suffer a relapse.
     
  2. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Badminton: Kelvin Ho takes over as Singapore's singles head coach

    [​IMG]
    Kelvin Ho (left) will oversee the progress of the eight national singles players, including Loh Kean Yew.PHOTO: SINGAPORE NATIONAL OLYMPIC COUNCIL/INSTAGRAM

    David Lee
    PUBLISHED
    APR 8, 2022, 2:00 PM SGT

    SINGAPORE - Former national shuttler Kelvin Ho is Singapore badminton's new national singles coach.

    Previously the assistant to Indonesian Mulyo Handoyo, who stepped down in February, Ho's promotion by the Singapore Badminton Association (SBA) takes place with immediate effect.

    He will oversee the progress of the eight national singles players - Loh Kean Yew, Jason Teh and Joel Koh from the men's team and Yeo Jia Min, Jaslyn Hooi, Nur Insyirah Khan, Grace Chua and Megan Lee from the women's team.

    Ho, who is with the national players in Suncheon for this week's Korea Open, thanked Mulyo for his guidance and the SBA for the opportunity.

    He added: "It's an honour to be appointed national singles head coach. I'm excited about what lies ahead and we have some talented players in the pathway. Developing them along with the top players is of paramount importance.

    "Of course, Kean Yew and Jia Min are the primary focus for the 2024 Olympics, but there are also other players who can challenge for these positions."

    It is understood that more than 20 local and international candidates applied for the job. Five coaches from Europe and Asia were shortlisted and interviewed by a panel of six from the SBA and Singapore Sports Institute, before Ho landed the job.

    SBA president Lawrence Leow said: "The SBA went through a thorough process to select the best person amongst the applicants and Kelvin's understanding of the players and his experience will help elevate the standard of our national shuttlers.

    "We are confident that under his tutelage, the singles players will continue to progress and excel both on and off the court."

    Ho was released as a national player in 2011, and went on to become one of the national intermediate squad's coaches. In 2018, he took on the role of assistant national singles coach.

    When international badminton events resumed in 2021 amid the pandemic, the 31-year-old has been in the national singles players' corner at tournaments, including the Tokyo Olympics. Most notably, he oversaw Loh's stunning World Championships-winning run and Yeo's participation in the prestigious Badminton World Federation World Tour Finals last year.

    The SBA will select his new assistant when he returns from South Korea.

    SBA chief executive officer Alan Ow shared its expectations of him, saying: "We want a coach who can lead the singles programme for not just the top players but also keep developing and nurturing players on the performance pathway.

    "Communication is vital at all levels but we need to make sure that all players know what is expected of them and they know where they stand. Local knowledge is important and knowledge of the players is vital as we go into a year of major Games.

    "Winning medals at the upcoming major Games is important, and we have the players to do that, but fundamentally it's about developing the players and working with them to achieve results to their optimum potential."


    MORE ON THIS TOPIC
    Badminton: Kelvin Ho, the 'big brother' coach always in Loh Kean Yew's corner
    Sporting Life: Trust in Loh Kean Yew as he plots patient graph to success
     
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  3. lodoss

    lodoss Regular Member

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    still think LKY should join Axelson's training group if available
     
  4. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Badminton: Loh Kean Yew gunning for men's singles gold at SEA Games in May
    2 of 2
    [​IMG]
    National shuttler Loh Kean Yew training at OCBC Arena Hall 2 on April 15, 2022. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
    [​IMG]

    Kimberly Kwek

    PUBLISHED
    APR 15, 2022, 6:01 PM SGT

    SINGAPORE - After clinching a silver medal at the 2019 SEA Games, Loh Kean Yew wants to do one better and win a gold at this year's edition of the competition, which will be held in Hanoi from May 12-23.

    The last time Singapore won the SEA Games men's singles title was in 1983, when Wong Shoon Keat accomplished the feat.

    At the 2019 SEA Games in the Philippines, Loh became the first national shuttler to make it to the men's final since 2007, but lost to Malaysia's Lee Zii Jia.

    The 24-year-old said: "I'm definitely aiming for gold because I've never gotten a gold before so that's definitely the target.

    "It's been a long time since Singapore got a gold at the SEA Games (in the men's singles) so it would mean a lot for me and for Singapore."

    Loh was speaking after an appreciation ceremony organised by the Singapore Badminton Association (SBA) on Friday (April 15) at the OCBC Arena to thank Neo Garden for its donation package worth $300,000 that will go towards the enhancement of SBA's high-performance programmes.

    The SBA's high-performance programme covers things such as overseas training stints and competitions, as well as the development of players on all levels.

    The association also plans to bring in sparring partners from countries such as Indonesia as part of preparations for this year's major Games.

    The months leading up to the SEA Games have been a learning process for Loh, who has been learning to deal with the pressure that comes along with his status as the badminton world champion.

    But he sees this as an opportunity to improve, saying: "It's difficult in the sense that because everyone's analysing (my game) so I need to improvise my game to be better. So it's a good thing for me, it's also a good thing for me to be better.

    "The pressure is always going to be there. It won't go away, it's more about how I handle it. I think it's better but I'm still learning to cope with it so hopefully I'll become better and better."

    Apart from the SEA Games, the national shuttlers will also be involved in the July 28-Aug 8 Commonwealth Games and September's Asian Games this year.

    SBA chief executive Alan Ow said: "In terms of sports sponsorship and donation in Singapore, we are not exactly in a very mature state so for companies to step forward, especially during this pandemic period, is very applaudable.

    "We are glad that we can have Neo Garden on board to help with the development of players, especially during this period when we are two years away from the Olympics, so we want to give our athletes every possible opportunity for a podium finish and having sufficient training and competitions will be critical."

    [​IMG]
    Ahead of the SEA Games, SBA technical director Martin Andrew shared that the target for the national shuttlers in Hanoi was to win a medal in the men's and women's team events.

    At the 2019 Games in the Philippines, both the men's and women's teams clinched bronze medals.

    Andrew added that their best possibilities for medals in the other events would come in the men's and women's singles and mixed doubles.

    The final leg of preparations for the SEA Games will see the national shuttlers competing at various competitions such as the April 26-May 1 Badminton Asia Championships and May 8-15 Thomas Cup, where they have been grouped alongside defending champions and record 14-time winners Indonesia, South Korea and hosts Thailand.

    MORE ON THIS TOPIC
    ST Athlete of the Year: I'm a world champ but it hasn't changed my fighting spirit, says Loh Kean Yew
    Sporting Life: Trust in Loh Kean Yew as he plots patient graph to success

    Andrew said: "The boys have the Thomas Cup while the girls will stay here to train - for the boys it's a good opportunity to get good matches and opposition and we're in a tough group so that's even better.

    "The girls will have a very solid training here where they can really focus and get themselves more prepared. Everything's been done so that they can get performances at the SEA Games."

    National shuttler Andy Kwek believes that the upcoming competitions will be beneficial for the shuttlers' preparations for the SEA Games.

    "We are taking it one step at a time to focus on each tournament before the SEA Games and hopefully through each tournament leading up to the SEA Games, we can gain more exposure and experience to know what we are lacking and work on it," said the 22-year-old, who will be competing in the men's doubles and mixed doubles events.

    "If we were to get a medal, it would be great - not just for us but for Singapore badminton as well. But we're not thinking too much, we just want to enjoy the process, the match and strategise well so whatever conditions that may come, we'll be ready for it."

    MORE ON THIS TOPIC
    Badminton: Singapore to face Indonesia, South Korea and Thailand in Thomas Cup
    Badminton: Terry Hee, Tan Wei Han win Orleans Masters mixed doubles final, 3rd title in 6 months
     
  5. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Seeking the missing title
    Seeking the missing title (nst.com.my)

    By TAN MING WAI - April 18, 2022 @ 8:01am

    Wong Shoon Keat was the first to win it, achieved at the 1983 Singapore edition.

    "It has been a long time since Singapore got a gold at the Sea Games (in the men's singles), so it would mean a lot (if I achieve it)," said the Penang-born Kean Yew.

    Kean Yew, who marked his Sea Games debut by winning a bronze at the 2015 Singapore edition when he was 17, had the opportunity to emulate Shoon Keat in Manila three years ago.

    However, he lost to Malaysia's Lee Zii Jia in the final.

    Zii Jia will not be defending his title as he is focused on spearheading Malaysia's charge at the Thomas Cup Finals in Bangkok from May 8-15.

    However, Kean Yew can still expect stiff competition as Thailand are throwing in world No 18 Kunlavut Vitidsarn in a bid to reclaim the gold last won by Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk in Myanmar in 2013.

    Kean Yew and Kunlavut will first do battle in the Thomas Cup, as they are expected to clash in the first singles match during the group stage.

    Singapore, playing in their first Thomas Cup since 2014, are in Group A with defending champions Indonesia, Thailand and South Korea.

    The Sea Games have also taken a backseat for Indonesia, as they are fielding second stringers — No 54 Chico Aura Dwi Wardoyo and No 148 Christian Adinata to contend for the individual title.

    Still, both world No 143 Chong King and No 193 Jack will have to rely on the luck of the draw and produce something special if they hope to reach the semi-finals to secure a bronze, at least.
     
  6. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Top badminton players to clash in 2022 SMART Badminton Asia Championships
    Top badminton players to clash in 2022 SMART Badminton Asia Championships (yahoo.com)
    Mon, April 25, 2022, 8:13 AM·3 min read

    [​IMG]

    THE Philippines will be hosting a BWF World Tour Super 1000 tournament with the 2022 SMART Badminton Asia Championships taking place on April 26, Tuesday, at the Muntinlupa Sports Complex.

    For Badminton Asia, the Philippines is deserving of hosting the event after having hosted the 30th Southeast Asian Games and the 2020 Badminton Asia Team Championships.

    "The Philippines has been hosting a lot of badminton tournaments," said Badminton Asia secretary-general Moosa Nashki in a press conference held Sunday at the Crimson Hotel in Alabang, Muntinlupa. "Three years ago, they hosted the Southeast Asian games then two years ago, they hosted the Team Championships. We were happy with the hostings that is why we wanted the Philippines."

    "This is the first time ever that the Philippines is hosting a BWF World Tour Super 1000 tournament," added Badminton Asia chairman of events Bambang Roedyanto. "You will see that it is very tough and when you see the draw, you will see very tough matches right in the very first round. You will see world and Olympic champions here."

    Slated to compete in the event are world no. 2 Kento Momota of Japan, no. 5 Anthony Sinisuka Ginting of Indonesia, no. 7 Lee Zii Jia of Malaysia, no. 8 Jonatan Christie of Indonesia, no. 9 Lakshya Sen of India, no. 10 Loh Kean Yew of Singapore, no. 11 Srikanth Kidambi of India, and no. 14 Kanta Tsuneyama of Japan for the men's side.

    For the distaff's side, world no. 2 Akane Yamaguchi of Japan, no. 4 An Se-young of South Korea, no. 5 Nozomi Okuhara of Japan, no. 7 P. V. Sindhu of India, no. 9 He Bingjiao of China, no. 10 Pornpawee Chochuwong and Busanan Ongbamrungphan of Thailand, and no. 13 Sayaka Takahashi of Japan are set to compete in women's singles.

    Men's doubles, women's doubles, and mixed doubles tournaments will also take place.

    "All the players here are tough that is why I'm just taking it game by game and trying to do my best," said Ginting, a two-time SEA Games gold medalist.

    The winners of the event will gain 12,000 BWF ranking points while the runner-up will get 10,200. The semifinalists will bag 8,400 points, quarterfinalists will net 6,600, round of 16 finishers get 4,800, while making it to the round of 32 notches 3,000.

    Local badminton stars Ros Pedrosa and Jewel Albo for men's singles; Jaja Andres and Mika De Guzman for women's singles; and Lea Inlayo and Susmita Ramos for women's doubles will have to go through the qualifying round on Tuesday before getting into the tournament proper.

    Meanwhile, the men's doubles pairs of Christian Bernardo-Paul Pantig and Solomon Padiz-Julius Villabrile and the mixed double pairs of Padiz-Inlayo and Alvin Morada-Thea Pomar will play in the proper.

    This will be Team Philippines' final preparation for the Hanoi SEA Games on May 12.

    "Malaking bagay po ito para sa amin sa preparation namin sa SEA Games kasi high-caliber players ang makakalaban namin," said Albo. (JNP)
     
  7. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Badminton: Top seed Momota suffers shock early exit from Asia Championships
    [​IMG]
    Kento Momota has failed to rediscover top form after being injured in a career-threatening car crash in January 2020. PHOTO: AFP

    PUBLISHED
    APR 27, 2022, 5:27 PM SGT

    MANILA (AFP) - Two-time world champion Kento Momota suffered a shock first-round defeat at the Badminton Asia Championships on Wednesday (April 27) as his poor run of form hit a new low.

    Indonesia's Chico Aura Dwi Wardoyo, ranked 52nd in the world, lost the first game but stormed back to stun the Japanese top seed 17-21, 21-17, 21-7 in just over an hour at the Muntinlupa Sports Complex in Manila.

    In the women's singles, top seed and Momota's fellow Japanese Akane Yamaguchi had no such trouble with a 21-15, 21-9 demolition of India's Aakarshi Kashyap in just 26 minutes.

    The 27-year-old Momota, a former world No. 1 but now ranked second behind Denmark's Viktor Axelsen, said: "I couldn't cope with the wind and heat at the venue today.

    "It wasn't about my opponent, I think my performance wasn't good at all.

    "I hope to find out what I did wrong and what I need to reflect on so that I can prepare for next time."

    Momota has failed to rediscover his scintillating top form after being badly injured in a career-threatening car crash in January 2020 in Malaysia.

    His only title since came at the Indonesia Masters last November and soon after he pulled out of December's World Championships with a back injury.

    Singapore's Loh Kean Yew won the title in Huelva, Spain by beating India's Srikanth Kidambi 21-15, 22-20 despite an ankle injury.

    Momota lost his opening match at the German Open last month and failed to get past the quarter-finals at the prestigious All England Championships.

    The Japanese ace said that his "spirit was almost broken" by the accident, which killed his driver on the way to Kuala Lumpur airport just hours after winning the Malaysia Masters.

    Momota suffered double vision and needed surgery on an orbital bone near his eye, leaving him fearing his career might be over.

    He returned to the circuit at the end of 2020 and had been favourite for Olympic gold on home soil in Tokyo last year, but was eliminated early.

    Loh yesterday defeated Kantaphon Wangcharoen 21-16, 15-21, 21-17 in just under an hour. He had also beaten the Thai in the round of 16 at the world championships.

    Compatriot Jason Teh, however, lost 22-20, 21-17 to Chinese qualifier Weng Hongyang.

    In the women's singles, Jaslyn Hooi beat South Korean Seo Jin-lee 21-18, 21-10 in 36 minutes, while Yeo Jia Min recovered from a poor start to beat India's Malvika Bansod 9-21, 21-17, 26-24.

    In Thursday's round of 16, Loh faces Japan's Koki Watanabe while Hooi takes on India's Rio Olympics runner-up and Tokyo Games bronze medallist P.V. Sindhu. Yeo will play Japan’s Sayaka Takahashi.

    MORE ON THIS TOPIC
    Badminton: Loh Kean Yew gunning for men's singles gold at SEA Games in May
    Badminton: An Se-young is first home player to win Korea Open women's singles in 7 years
     
  8. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    JJ Lin receives signed T-shirt and racket from Thai shuttler Sapsiree Taerattanachai
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    JJ Lin shared a photo of the gifts from the world No. 1 mixed doubles badminton player, whose nickname is Popor, on social media. PHOTOS: JJ LIN/FACEBOOK
    Suzanne Sng

    PUBLISHED
    MAY 2, 2022, 7:00 AM SGT

    SINGAPORE - Singer JJ Lin, who is an avid badminton player, has received a signed T-shirt and racket from top Thai shuttler Sapsiree Taerattanachai.

    Lin shared a photo of the gifts from the world No. 1 mixed doubles badminton player, whose nickname is Popor, on Instagram on Sunday (May 1).

    In his caption, he wrote: "Power up from yet another world champion."

    He had previously received a T-shirt from Singapore shuttler Loh Kean Yew in February, after Loh became the first Singaporean to win the Badminton World Federation World Championships in December 2021.

    Malaysia's former world No. 1 badminton player Lee Chong Wei also joined in the fun by sending a badminton racket shortly after Lin received Loh's gift.

    Lin, 41, who used to play badminton weekly with his father as a child, said then that he was "one step closer to becoming a pro", before adding: "I feel like I can play better now."

    In the comment section of Lin's latest post, Sapsiree wrote: "Hope we can play together soon."

    Thank you @popor_sapsiree ! Power up from yet another world champion! 持續集氣! #badminton #worldchampion

    Posted by 林俊傑 JJ Lin on Sunday, May 1, 2022
    MORE ON THIS TOPIC
    Singer JJ Lin receives 'special gift' from shuttler Loh Kean Yew
    Singer JJ Lin sues netizen for defamation
     
  9. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Badminton: Loh Kean Yew wins, but Singapore lose 4-1 to defending champs Indonesia in Thomas Cup opener
    [​IMG]
    Loh Kean Yew defeated Anthony Sinisuka Ginting in the first singles match against Indonesia during the Thomas Cup. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
    [​IMG]

    David Lee

    PUBLISHED
    MAY 8, 2022, 7:25 PM SGT

    SINGAPORE - The national men's shuttlers put up a brave fight on their return to the Thomas Cup, before losing 4-1 to defending champions Indonesia in their Group A opener on Sunday (May 8).

    After finishing joint-third at the Badminton Asia Team Championships in February, Singapore qualified for the prestigious Thomas Cup for only the third time apart from 1986 and 2014.

    Led by Loh Kean Yew, Singapore looked unfazed as the world No. 9 despatched fifth-ranked Anthony Sinisuka Ginting 21-13, 21-14 in 37 minutes at the Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand.

    The 24-year-old looked in total control in the first singles match as he beat a higher-ranked player for the first time since he was crowned world champion in December.

    Buoyed by the solid start, 56th-ranked pair Loh Kean Hean and Terry Hee also threatened a surprise in the first doubles match, and took world No. 8 duo Fajar Alfian and Rian Ardianto to a decider before losing 21-14, 19-21, 21-12 in 47 minutes.

    In the second singles, 88th-ranked Jason Teh clawed his way back from 14-8 down to lead 16-14 in the first game, but defending Asian Games champion and world No. Jonatan Christie showed his experience by snuffing out the challenge and winning 21-19, 21-13 in 45 minutes.

    Indonesia sealed overall victory in the second doubles after world No. 21 Shohibul Fikri and Bagas Maulana beat 119th-ranked Danny Bawa Chrisnanta and Andy Kwek 24-22, 21-14 in 38 minutes, but not before they were pushed hard and had to save two game points in the opening game.

    In the third singles, world No. 225 Joel Koh kept pace early on against 24th-ranked Shesar Hiren Rhustavito before losing 21-16, 21-7 in 35 minutes.

    Singapore will face South Korea on Monday, before taking on hosts Thailand on Wednesday.

    MORE ON THIS TOPIC
    Badminton player Loh Kean Yew is The Straits Times' Athlete of the Year 2021
    Sporting Life: When a small island is big on sporting inspiration
     
  10. extremenanopowe

    extremenanopowe Regular Member

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    Sg got good players, but the approach is wrong. Too bad. ;)
     
  11. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Badminton: Singapore's Thomas Cup hopes end with 3-2 loss to South Korea
    [​IMG]
    Singapore's Jason Teh in action against South Korea's Jeon Hyeok-jin in their Thomas Cup Group A second singles match, on May 9, 2022. PHOTO: BADMINTONPHOTO
    [​IMG]

    David Lee

    PUBLISHED
    8 HOURS AGO

    SINGAPORE - The national men's shuttlers can hold their head high after another defiant display against illustrious opponents at the Thomas Cup - despite losing 3-2 to South Korea on Monday (May 9).

    On Sunday, Singapore were beaten 4-1 by Indonesia, who defeated hosts Thailand 4-1 in Monday's other Group A match-up to progress to the quarter-finals alongside the Koreans at the expense of Singapore and Thailand, who play each other in a dead rubber on Wednesday.

    Once again, Singapore's world champion Loh Kean Yew led the way and got the Republic off to a winning start in the first singles by easily beating 31st-ranked Heo Kwang-hee 21-14, 21-12 in 32 minutes at the Impact Arena in Bangkok.

    Loh said: "Such high-level matches will definitely help with our preparations for the (May 16-22) SEA Games badminton competition. We want to bring such form and fighting qualities to Vietnam.

    "Personally, I'm feeling good about my consistency and focus in these past two matches. I hope I can maintain this performance level and build on my consistency. The next match against Thailand will be important to see if I'm getting more consistent or not."

    Competing in only their third Thomas Cup, Singapore fought valiantly against their rivals on Monday, as a more keenly contested first doubles match saw world No. 56 Loh Kean Hean and Terry Hee take the opening game against 97th-ranked Kang Min-hyuk and Seo Seung-jae.

    In an exhilarating contest played at a very high tempo, both pairs fought tooth and nail as the crowd marvelled at their smashes, drop shots and behind-the-back saves.

    Seo then stepped up with his composure and experience from having reached the top 10 in the men's and mixed doubles to help the pair bounce back and win 15-21, 21-17, 21-19 in 64 minutes.

    [​IMG]
    Loh Kean Hean (right) and Terry Hee are beaten by South Korea's Kang Min-Hyuk and Seo Seung-Jae in their Thomas Cup Group A first doubles match, on May 9, 2022. PHOTO: BADMINTONPHOTO
    More drama ensued in the second singles as world No. 88 Jason Teh made an explosive start in his first game against 270th-ranked Jeon Hyeok-jin with aggressive attacking play.

    However, with a 14-7 lead, the 21-year-old slipped and injured his right foot against an opponent who had just won the Korea Masters men's singles title in April and was once ranked 18th in 2018.

    Teh manfully played on to clinch the opening game, but cruelly twisted the same ankle while he was 3-1 down in the next game and required another bout of treatment.

    Yet again, he got up and continued, keeping pace and trading points until 8-8 before Jeon pulled away, relying mostly on lengthy rallies to put Teh in uncomfortable spots.

    It was a similar story in the decider, as Teh relied on adrenaline and remarkable fighting spirit to draw level at 11-11. But the fitter Jeon prevailed 14-21, 21-13, 21-14 in 78 minutes.

    In the second doubles, world No. 115 Choi Sol-gyu and Kim Won-ho beat 367th-ranked Thomas Cup debutants Wesley Koh and Junsuke Kubo 21-14, 21-13 in 35 minutes to win the tie overall.

    Despite the certain elimination, world No. 225 Joel Koh refused to throw in the towel and delivered a hard-fought 21-15, 10-21, 21-11 win over 603rd-ranked Lee Yun-gyu in 59 minutes.

    MORE ON THIS TOPIC
    Loh Kean Yew wins, but S'pore lose 4-1 to defending champs Indonesia in Thomas Cup opener
    Sporting Life: When a small island is big on sporting inspiration
     
  12. justforfun

    justforfun Regular Member

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    It's a shame that Jason Teh's match ended the way it did. He was looking well on course to beat his Korean counterpart until the slip happened. I find it difficult to believe that the organizers couldn't do better to tackle the stadium humidity issue, with players slipping almost every match. Could they not have placed some dehumidifiers around the stadium?
     
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  13. YeoKC

    YeoKC New Member

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    Joel Koh losing tio Thai player really show his fitness level and lack of mental strength. In the third and final game, his standard of play was not very different from what I see in Sports Hall all over Singapore. He need to pick up to play at this level. Good thing he is only 21.
     
  14. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Badminton: Singapore Open returns from July 12-17, star-studded field expected

    [​IMG]
    World champion Loh Kean Yew is expected to be among those competing at the Singapore Badminton Open. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
    [​IMG]

    David Lee

    PUBLISHED
    MAY 12, 2022, 1:40 PM SGT

    SINGAPORE - After a two-year, coronavirus-enforced hiatus, the Singapore Badminton Open (SBO) will return from July 12 to 17.

    As Covid-19 restrictions ease, the US$370,000 (S$515,000) competition will be among the first world-class sports events at the Singapore Indoor Stadium to welcome a capacity crowd since the pandemic started.

    It will be a Super 500 event, which is on the fourth tier of the Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Tour circuit.

    Fans can expect a star-studded field in Singapore with the tournament coming on the back of the June 28 to July 3 Malaysia Open and the July 5 to 10 Malaysia Masters.

    It is also one of the final opportunities for shuttlers to fine tune their preparations for the July 28 to Aug 8 Commonwealth Games, which means the likes of top Malaysian players such as world No. 6 Lee Zii Jia and Indian stars such as two-time Olympic medallist and 2019 world champion P. V. Sindhu will be at Kallang.

    The Singapore contingent will also be out in full force, with world champion Loh Kean Yew and 2021 BWF World Tour Finals qualifier Yeo Jia Min expected to feature.

    World No. 10 Loh, whose best result in this event was a second-round appearance in 2018, said: "There is nothing more satisfying than doing well in front of your home crowd. I hope I can give local fans something to cheer about."

    This year, local IT firm JK Technology, a long-time supporter of Singapore badminton, has come on board as the tournament's presenting sponsor.

    Singapore Badminton Association president Lawrence Leow said: "We are truly grateful to (JK Technology managing director) Eugene Ang for stepping forward to support us when businesses have been hard hit for the past two years... (and) seeing the value in what a global event like the SBO brings to not just fans and Singapore but also to businesses.

    "The SBO marks a significant step in the road to normalcy for sports events. We will work closely with our event organisers and the authorities to ensure that the SBO is both a safe and an enjoyable event for large groups of fans to experience. After two years of start-stop events, sports is finally, truly back."

    MORE ON THIS TOPIC
    Badminton player Loh Kean Yew is The Straits Times' Athlete of the Year 2021
    Badminton: Singapore's Thomas Cup hopes end with 3-2 loss to South Korea
     
    #1894 Loh, May 12, 2022
    Last edited: May 12, 2022
  15. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Badminton: South Korea dethrone China to win badminton's Uber Cup in nail-biter


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    South Korea's women's badminton team celebrate their Uber Cup win Bangkok on May 14, 2022. PHOTO: AFP

    PUBLISHED
    11 HOURS AGO

    BANGKOK (AFP, REUTERS) - South Korea stunned defending champions China to win badminton's prestigious Uber Cup for the second time on Saturday (May 14) in an epic battle that went down to the wire in Bangkok.

    The holders were aiming for a 16th title in the women's team championship but with the countries deadlocked at 2-2 it all boiled down to the third singles between China's 15th-ranked Wang Zhiyi and 46th-ranked Sim Yu-jin.

    Sim, who turned 23 on Friday, sprang an upset by beating Wang 28-26, 18-21, 21-8 in a thrilling 88 minutes - and with it South Korea's first Uber Cup crown in 12 years.

    It was a hugely disappointing conclusion for China, who had jumped out to an early lead in the tie when Chen Yufei sealed a spectacular come-from-behind win against An Se-young in a marathon match full of drama.

    Chen, the world No. 3 and Tokyo Olympic gold medallist, went down 21-17 in the opening game to fourth-ranked An.

    An built a five-point lead early in the second game but Chen roared back to take that game 21-15 and sealed the decider 22-20 despite suffering an injury scare to her ankle.

    An, who is still only 20, had her own problem with cramp in her right hamstring and both players collapsed on the court in exhaustion after 91 minutes of gruelling action.

    A disappointed and emotional An, who triumphed over top-ranked Japanese star Akane Yamaguchi a day earlier, said she was worried she had let down her team-mates.

    "I tried my best, as much as I could... I was at 20 points but then I lost control," she said of her failure to capitalise on three match points.

    The doubles world No. 2 pairing of Lee So-hee and Shin Seung-chan levelled the tie for South Korea, finding their form after a shaky start to snatch a 12-21, 21-18, 21-18 victory against top-ranked duo Chen Qingchen and Jia Yifan.

    He Bingjiao needed only 43 minutes to restore China’s advantage, seeing off Kim Ga-eun 21-12, 21-13, but Kim Hye-jeong and Kong Hee-yong delivered a 22-20, 21-17 win over Huang Dongping and Li Wenmei to take the tie to the final match.

    Indonesia, the 14-time winners, play first-time finalists India in Sunday's Thomas Cup final, the men's team championship, also in the Thai capital.

    MORE ON THIS TOPIC
    Badminton: H.S. Prannoy seals historic Thomas Cup final berth for India
    Badminton: Singapore Open returns from July 12-17, star-studded field expected
     
  16. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Badminton: Ruthless India make history with first Thomas Cup crown
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    Former world No. 1 Kidambi Srikanth sealed the victory as he defeated Indonesia's Jonatan Christie 21-15, 23-21. PHOTO: EPA-EFE

    PUBLISHED
    MAY 15, 2022, 5:44 PM SGT

    BANGKOK (AFP) - India made history by winning the Thomas Cup for the first time with a ruthless 3-0 upset of reigning champions Indonesia in Bangkok on Sunday (May 15).

    The Indian team, competing in their debut final of the men’s team championship, sealed the title when world number 11 Kidambi Srikanth defeated Jonatan Christie 21-15, 23-21.

    A devastated Indonesia, the tournament’s most successful team having previously won it 14 times, could not keep pace with the fire brought by the Indian team – who joyfully rushed the court following Srikanth’s win.

    India were already 2-0 up, with Lakshya Sen beating Anthony Ginting in the first singles match and then Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty defeating Mohammad Ahsan and Kevin Sukamuljo in the doubles.

    It fell to Christie, an Asian Games gold medallist now in his fourth Thomas Cup campaign, to save Indonesia’s flagging title hopes.

    But the eighth-ranked Christie couldn’t do it and seemed overcome with nerves at the onset of his do-or-die match against Srikanth.

    The 29-year-old Srikanth took full advantage, bearing down relentlessly on Christie in the second game.

    In the first match of the tie, world No. 5 Ginting grabbed the first game in style over Sen, 21-8.

    But he then wobbled, and with Sen growing in confidence, the Indian world number nine won the next two games 21-17, 21-16.

    “I think this one is for the team, they have been backing me throughout my performances,” the 20-year-old Sen said.

    “In the closing stages I was really nervous and trying to calm myself with deep breaths.”

    Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the praise back home, tweeting: “The Indian Badminton: H.S. Prannoy seals historic Thomas Cup final berth for India

    Badminton: Singapore's Thomas Cup hopes end with 3-2 loss to South Korea

    (Fantastic achievement! Congrats to India.)
     
  17. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Badminton: India stun Indonesia to win maiden Thomas Cup title
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    FILE PHOTO: Badminton - Thomas & Uber Cup - Aarhus, Denmark - October 17, 2021 Thomas Cup mens team final match between China and Indonesia Claus Fisker/Ritzau Scanpix via REUTERS/File Photo

    15 May 2022 06:30PM(Updated: 15 May 2022 07:30PM)


    BANGKOK: India's men's badminton team pulled off a major upset by crushing 14-times champions Indonesia 3-0 in the final on Sunday (May 15) to win their maiden Thomas Cup title.

    Lakshya Sen set the tone for the first-time finalists when he stunned Olympic bronze medallist Anthony Sinisuka Ginting in the first singles at the Impact Arena.

    Satwiksairaj Rankireddy combined with Chirag Shetty for a similar come-from-behind victory over Mohammad Ahsan and Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo in the first doubles.

    Kidambi Srikanth tamed Jonatan Christie 21-15 23-21 in the second singles as India became only the sixth nation to win the coveted trophy.

    After a 48-minute slugfest, Srikanth leapt to drill a crosscourt smash to Christie's left.

    The importance of his win was not lost on the 29-year-old who dropped his racket and let out a roar before being mobbed by his team mates who invaded the court.

    India proved their knockout stage victories over five-times champions Malaysia and 2016 winners Denmark were no fluke as they produced another courageous display against the badminton powerhouse.

    Sen typified that fight in his 8-21 21-17 21-16 victory against Ginting.

    The 20-year-old was outplayed in the first game but he won the second and overcame a 7-11 deficit in the decider to prevail.

    The first doubles match followed a similar script with Rankireddy and Shetty losing the first game.

    They saved four match points in the second to roar back and prevailed 18-21 23-21 21-19.

    Srikanth kept it simple by winning the first game in 19 minutes.

    Christie put up more resistance in the second game but Srikanth's reflexes at the net and calculated aggression ensured India won the final without dropping a match.

    The victory sparked celebration back home with Prime Minister Narendra Modi leading the tributes.

    "The Indian badminton team has scripted history! The entire nation is elated by India winning the Thomas Cup..." tweeted Modi.

    India's sports ministry has announced a cash prize of 10 million rupees (US$129,000) for the squad.

    South Korea's women's team ended their 12-year wait for an Uber Cup title with a 3-2 upset of defending champions China on Saturday.
     
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  18. lodoss

    lodoss Regular Member

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    Great to see team's event getting more competitive. They used to be dominated by China in the past 2 decades.
     
  19. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Good for the game. Singapore should take inspiration from India.
     
    #1899 Loh, May 16, 2022
    Last edited: May 17, 2022
  20. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Badminton: Tickets to Singapore Open on sale until June 17, single-day entry from $30
    [​IMG]
    Single-day tickets start from $5 (children) or $30 (adults). PHOTO: TICKETMASTER.SG
    Jeremiah Ong

    PUBLISHED
    MAY 18, 2022, 2:33 PM SGT


    SINGAPORE - Early bird season passes for the Singapore Badminton Open are available until May 31 while single-day tickets start from $5 (children) or $30 (adults).

    Among the stars expected at the July 12-17 event include former world champions P.V. Sindhu and Ratchanok Intanon as well as 2022 Korea Masters women's singles champion He Bingjiao.

    After a two-year absence due to the pandemic, the US$370,000 event at the Singapore Indoor Stadium will be one of the "most eagerly anticipated and fiercely contested [editions] in years", said organising chairman Ng Yoke Weng.

    Ticket sales end on June 17. More info can be found online at this website.

    MORE ON THIS TOPIC
    Badminton: Ruthless India make history with first Thomas Cup crown
    Badminton: South Korea dethrone China to win badminton's Uber Cup in nail-biter
     
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