Singapore’s Terry Hee and Jessica Tan overcome nightmare conditions to win Guwahati Masters title Singapore’s Terry Hee and Jessica Tan overcome nightmare conditions to win Guwahati Masters title | The Straits Times It was the couple's third final in two months, following a rough start to their season. PHOTO: SINGAPORE BADMINTON ASSOCIATION David Lee Sports Correspondent UPDATED 8 HOURS AGO SINGAPORE – They encountered blackouts and murky tap water in their hotel rooms and were hit by pests and illness, but Singapore’s badminton couple Terry Hee and Jessica Tan stayed focused to clinch their second title of the season. On Dec 10, the world No. 26s beat Denmark’s 35th-ranked Mads Vestergaard and Christine Busch 21-19, 21-11 in the final of the US$100,000 (S$134,000) Guwahati Masters in Assam, India and picked up a cheque for US$7,900. It was their third final in two months, following a rough start to their season. They also managed to avenge their defeat by the Danes at the Abu Dhabi Masters in October, before winning the Irish Open in November. Hee said: “We were not playing well earlier this year but, hopefully, we are turning things around. The most important thing is self belief and we should always trust the process.” They have had to deal with trying times during this Indian swing. Their unpleasant experiences began over a week ago at the Syed Modi International in Lucknow, where they reached the quarter-finals. Tan wrote in an Instagram story: “During the court test, there were birds flying in the hall and bird droppings all over the courts. The hall was also slightly foggy due to what seemed like dust.” There was to be no reprieve after they travelled to Guwahati. Not only did they have to swop their rackets for electric swatters to kill mosquitoes, they also needed teamwork to keep each other’s food away from houseflies at the Sarusajai Sports Complex. As the water heaters in their hotel rooms at the Ghar 365 Residency were not working, they had to boil water and pour it into buckets for their baths. That, too, could happen only when their taps were not churning out brownish water. They also had to contend with several power trips that did not help with their rest and recovery. The Singapore Badminton Association told ST that the Badminton World Federation has been informed of these issues. To make things worse, Tan developed a severe sore throat, flu and runny nose before the Guwahati Masters, but the husband-and-wife duo pressed on. She said: “It was extremely trying for me because I was very unwell throughout. “This was the first tournament where I never shouted at all when we won points because my throat hurt too much. “I really pushed my limits physically and mentally, tried to focus and stay positive as best as I could.” Their concentration was further tested in the final. After claiming the first game in which they largely trailed, there was controversy when the Danes were trailing 9-13 in the second game as Vestergaard was shown a yellow card for constantly interfering with line calls and then a red card and point penalty for delaying the game with his protest. Singapore badminton couple Terry Hee and Jessica Tan overcame many issues in Guwahati, including murky tap water and blackouts. PHOTOS: TERRY HEE The Singaporeans maintained their focus and continued to defend and combine well to set up smash opportunities for Hee to kill off the match. On their improved performances and results – their record went from eight wins in 25 matches before the Abu Dhabi Masters to 17 wins in their last 22 matches – national doubles coach Paulus Firman said: “We enhanced their training from a physical and technical perspective, and helped them to overcome non-technical problems together to be more consistent while competing at a high level. “When they are under pressure, they can refocus on their game. Their way of playing is now clearer and they are mentally stronger.” These qualities will help them as they remain in India and head to Cuttack for the Dec 12-17 Odisha Masters, where they eye another deep run to pocket more ranking points in their bid to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Hee said: “As athletes, we have to be ready for all sorts of situations and do our best.”
@Loh Quite a lot of these articles don’t have the original website link. Please include the links. Thank you Mod
palki sharma upadhyay never got the memo on her own country's awesome infrastructure when she was always talking kaka about PRC on WION channel.
Terry Hee and Jessica Tan ends Tour of India with silver at Odisha Masters Story by Khalis Rifhan • 5h Terry Hee and Jessica Tan ends Tour of India with silver at Odisha Masters (msn.com) Terry Hee and Jessica Tan ends Tour of India with silver at Odisha Masters© Provided by The Independent SG SINGAPORE: Singapore’s mixed doubles badminton players Terry Hee and Jessica Tan capped off their Indian tour with a hard-fought battle against Druv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto at the Odisha Masters on Dec 17 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium. It was Hee’s and Tan’s second final in India, having won the Guwahati Masters earlier in the month. Before that, they were in Lucknow for the Syed Modi International, where they finished in the quarter-finals stage. It was an intense final in the Odisha Masters, with the Singapore shuttlers snatching the first set 21-19. Although Hee and Tan tried their best and pushed the opponents to their limits, they could not edge them in the remaining sets. Kapila and Crasto mounted a comeback, claiming the second set 21-19 and seizing the title in a nail-biting 23-21 thriller. As runners-up in the competition, they picked up a prize money of US$3,800. For the husband-and-wife duo, it has been a rather busy past two months since the Asian Games in October. Since they competed in Hangzhou, China, the mixed doubles pairing has travelled to six countries to compete in numerous competitions. “Another podium finish to end off the year! This marks the end of our eighth tournament in nine weeks (crazy right?!!!!) This is our longest run ever & I’m so proud that we persevered all the way. This Olympic qualification period is tough and full of challenges, but it is every athlete’s dream to even be able to embark on it is a huge privilege on its own. Thank you coach @paulusfirman525 and everyone for fighting alongside with us & supporting us all the way,” posted shuttler Tan on her Instagram and Facebook page. Photo credit: Department of Sports and Youth Services, Government of Odisha© Provided by The Independent SG Fresh from the Asian Games, Hee and Tan, ranked 22nd in the world, competed in the Abu Dhabi Masters and had decent results. But their momentum ended when they lost 22-20, 17-21, and 18-21 to Mads Vestergaard and Christine Busch in the finals on Oct 22. The duo then went on a tour of Europe, starting with the French Open at the end of October. They sailed through the first two rounds as their opponents retired midway through the matches. But they were met with formidable opponents in the quarter-finals, losing the match 22-24, 17-21 to world number two ranked players Yuta Watanabe and Arisa Higashino from Japan. Although Mathias Christiansen and Alexandra Boje ended their journey at the Hylo Open in Germany in the Round of 16 (16-21, 21-16, 12-21), there was a joy for Tan and Hee in their next tournament in Europe. In a match that took just slightly an hour, Tan and Hee needed three sets to win the Irish Open, defeating 36th-ranked English pairing Gregory Mairs and Jenny Mairs 21-17, 18-21, 21-15 in the finals on Nov 18. Their gruelling schedule brought them to China for their fifth competition after the Asian Games. At the China Masters, Hee and Tan faced world number two ranked players Seo Seung Jae and Chae Yu Jung in Round 16. Despite falling 9-21 in the first set, the Singapore shuttlers battled valiantly and refused to back down as they clawed back 25-23 in the second set. However, Hee and Tan could not outmatch their opponents in the deciding game, losing 19-21. Their final three tournaments of the year were in India. The first is the Syed Modi International where they were knocked out in the quarter-finals. Hee and Tee then went to Assam for the Guwahati Masters. They were able to exact revenge on Vestergaard and Busch, whom they lost to in the Abu Dhabi Masters final. Hee and Tan defeated the Danish pair 21-19 and 21-11 in the Guwahati Final at the Sarju Sarai Indoor Sports Complex on Dec 10 and picked up prize money of US$7,900 in the US$100,000 tournament. The Odisha Masters completes their tour of India and their badminton competition for 2023. But there won’t be much rest for Hee and Tan, as they will resume action on the court at the Malaysia Open against Ye Hong Wei and Lee Chia Hsin from Chinese Taipei from 9 Jan 2024.
Tai Tzu Ying ends Yeo Jia Min’s dream run in India Open Tai Tzu Ying ends Yeo Jia Min’s dream run in India Open (msn.com) Story by Khalis Rifhan • 35m Tai Tzu Ying ends Yeo Jia Min’s dream run in India Open© Provided by The Independent SG SINGAPORE: Despite her brave effort, Yeo Jia Min was no match for world no. 3 Tai Tzu Ying as the Singapore shuttler went down 13-21,18-21 in the Yonex Sunrise India Open women’s singles semi-finals match at the K. D. Jadhav Indoor Hall in New Delhi on Saturday, Jan 20. This is Yeo’s fifth loss against the Chinese Taipei player since their first encounter in 2019. The two also met twice last year, with Tai winning 21-11, 22-20 at the Denmark Open and 21-17, 21-18 at the Asia Championships. Although it was disappointing not to be able to win the match and advance to the final, Yeo did not let it dampen her spirit. Instead, the 20th-ranked player in the world took it in her stride, looking forward to the next tournament as she strives to improve her game. “Every moment leading up has been fueled with support from many people around me as well as strength from God. Really grateful for all I’ve received. There’s still more to work on and I’m excited to get better. India has been quite a tiring trip tbh, but I’m looking forward to Indonesia!” posted Yeo on her Instagram page. Yeo started the Badminton World Federation World Tour Super 750 event on Jan 16 in India with a 21-18, 21-13 win against Wen Chi Hsu of Chinese Taipei. In the second round, Yeo blitzed past world no. 7 Gregoria Tunjung in straight sets, 25-23, 21-14. This is Yeo’s third win against the Indonesian, with both her previous wins coming in 2021 at the HYLO Open and the French Open. Related video: Tai Tzu-ying had media in stitches (Dailymotion) In the quarter-final round, Yeo was able to avenge her loss against An Se Young from the Malaysia Open earlier in the month. In a gripping encounter, Yeo snatched the first set 21-19 and was leading by three points in the second set when the top-ranked player was forced to retire from the match due to a knee injury. Former world champion Loh Kean Yew decided to sit out of the India Open as he focused on recuperating and getting fully fit for the next competition. “Regretfully, I won’t be able to compete in the India Open this week. Been down with an illness for more than a week and recovery has been slow. Currently on doctor’s orders to rest and hopefully regain full recovery in time for Indonesia Masters next week,” shared the 11th-ranked player Loh on social media. The Indonesia Masters will begin on Jan 23 at the Gelora Bung Karno Sports Complex in Jakarta. Loh will start the Super 500 campaign in Indonesia against world no. 9 HS Prannoy (India). In the women’s singles, Yeo will face world no 8 Wang Zhi Yi from China in the opening round. Lastly, Singapore’s mixed doubles pairing, Terry Hee and Jessica Tan, will be up against Yuki Kaneko and Misaki Matsutomo in Round 1
Does Singapore still scout overseas junior players with potential to come into the Singaporean system? They have changed their criteria for selection of players for the local scene. https://singaporebadminton.org.sg/s...on-junior-performance-programmes-jpp-and-nts/
The wording suggests that it's still possible for overseas players to come into the Singapore system and observations of local tournaments would suggest that there's a possibility of recruitment happening through those tournaments, unless there are rules that ban recruitment through this method.
Singapore Indoor Stadium to make way for new ‘best-in-class’ indoor arena Singapore Indoor Stadium to make way for new ‘best-in-class’ indoor arena | The Straits Times As planning is in the early stages, there is no timeline for when construction will begin, and more details will be provided later. ST PHOTO: HENG YI-HSIN Deepanraj Ganesan UPDATED MAR 07, 2024, 06:01 PM FacebookTelegram SINGAPORE – The Kallang Alive precinct is poised for an exciting addition with the construction of a new indoor arena that will replace the iconic Singapore Indoor Stadium (SIS), which has stood for more than three decades. The plan for a new facility was unveiled by Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong during the parliamentary debate on his ministry’s budget on March 7. Noting that it will be among the “best in class globally”, Mr Tong said the arena will be built adjacent to the current SIS site. The 12,000-seater indoor stadium will continue to operate until the new indoor arena is up, to minimise disruption to the pipeline of events and programming, which can continue throughout the construction period of the new arena. As planning is in the early stages, there is no timeline for when construction will begin. More details – including the fate of the existing indoor stadium – will be provided later. Pointing out that the new arena should have at least the same capacity as the SIS and be “future-proofed”, Mr Tong added: “The hosting of high-quality international events is valuable, and also highly sought after. Our competitors are not standing still and we, likewise, must continue to innovate and evolve if we want to continue to attract top-tier events. “We believe that it is now an opportune time to develop a new indoor arena that will be among the best in class globally. We have gone around to study some of the best arenas in the world, to learn from them.” The Government, he added, is considering an arena that can host more sophisticated events, can flexibly accommodate different types of events and have a faster turnaround time, as well as offer greater value to spectators with more varied hospitality suites, and better seating and overall experience. Designed by internationally acclaimed Japanese architect Kenzo Tange, the $90 million indoor stadium was officially opened in December 1989 by then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew. The 54,178 sq m stadium can hold up to 12,000 spectators and has hosted a wide variety of entertainment and sports events, including the inaugural Youth Olympic Games (2010), the Women’s Tennis Association Finals (2014 to 2018), and the badminton Singapore Open. On the entertainment front, Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran and Britney Spears have performed there, and more recently, Mandopop king Jacky Cheung held a record 11 shows in July and August 2023. Singapore Badminton Association chief executive Alan Ow said: “While I must acknowledge the nostalgia and fond memories associated with the closing of the SIS... embracing the prospect of a new indoor arena is undeniably intriguing. “This presents an opportunity to enhance our facilities... The inclusion of the latest technology in the new arena can significantly improve the overall fan experience, especially considering that the current stadium was not purpose-built to host international sporting events.” Designed by internationally acclaimed Japanese architect Kenzo Tange, the $90 million indoor stadium was officially opened in December 1989 by then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew. ST PHOTO: HENG YI-HSIN Basketball Association of Singapore chief executive Leon Neo said: “We are very excited about this news, and we think that this is a right move by the Government to recognise that we do not have many options for indoor competition venues in Singapore to host high-level competitions. It is encouraging that the Government is progressively addressing (this).” Architectural photographer and researcher Darren Soh said he hopes the authorities will not tear down but instead repurpose the existing indoor stadium, “not just because it is one of Singapore’s most elegant buildings but also because of all that it stands for in our nation’s history”. He noted that the stadium was the direct result of a close relationship between the late Mr Lee and Professor Tange, who was in 1970 invited by the former to visit Singapore and subsequently asked by the Government to help master-plan and design the second phase of the Kallang Sports Complex, which included the indoor stadium. Mr Soh said Singapore was in a post-independence recession in 1985 when plans to build the stadium were announced. Its construction created jobs in the building industry and pioneered building techniques here, allowing local firms to learn from Professor Tange and engineer Mamoru Kawaguchi. Besides hosting numerous high-profile sporting events and entertainment acts, said Mr Soh, the stadium was also the venue for the SilkAir MI185 air-crash memorial service in 1997, one of the darkest times in Singapore’s aviation history. Since assuming control of the Singapore Sports Hub in December 2022, the authorities have been actively reviewing the Kallang Alive project – which includes the new arena – to make it an integrated ecosystem. Aside from hosting world-class events, it will allow national athletes to train and compete; host community, grassroots and school sports; and function as a test bed and breeding ground for sports innovation. The 54,178 sq m indoor stadium can hold up to 12,000 spectators and has hosted a wide variety of entertainment and sports events. ST PHOTO: HENG YI-HSIN The Kallang precinct will also welcome two new facilities in 2024 – the Kallang Tennis Hub and Football Hub – while new basketball courts and a softball/baseball facility will open at the former Bedok Swimming Complex and in Jurong East, respectively. Eleven projects have been completed as part of the Sports Facilities Master Plan, including the newly opened Bukit Canberra sports hub and the ActiveSG Sport Village @ Jurong Town. Plans are also in place for new sports facilities in Clementi, Toa Payoh and Punggol. The Disability Sports Master Plan will also be updated, with recommendations to be announced later in 2024. Twenty thousand people with disabilities have participated in Sport Singapore’s programmes since 2016, and the national governing body is on track to make all ActiveSG gyms inclusive by 2026. Additional reporting by Ng Keng Gene
