Singaporean Badminton Star Begins 2022 Season with a Win
Singapore’s badminton prodigy Loh Kean Yew kicked off his year with a strong performance, defeating Canada’s Sheng Xiaodong with scores of 16-21, 21-4, 21-13 in his opening match. Following his triumph at the World Championship in Huelva, Spain, on December 19, Loh is currently ranked 10th in the world, while Sheng sits at 54th according to the Badminton World Federation World Tour rankings.
At the India Open, Loh is seeded fifth, and his next challenge will be against Malaysia’s Soong Joo Ven, ranked 70th in men’s singles. Soong secured his spot in the second round by defeating India’s Chirag Sen with a decisive score of 21-8, 21-7.
Loh’s match against Sheng took place on January 11, marking the start of the 2022 BWF World Tour season. After a shaky beginning in the first set, the 24-year-old won 10 consecutive points in the second set and dominated the third set, completing the match in approximately 50 minutes.
“It’s a new start and I’m trying to start from zero again,” Loh commented. He acknowledged that he felt he was playing slowly initially, allowing Sheng to dictate the pace. “In the second game, I tried to pick up the pace, and it worked,” he added.
Loh also mentioned the challenges of adapting to the pressures that come with being a world champion, stating, “I’ve always been an underdog. This is the first time I’ve played as a contender, so the pressure and expectations are something I need to learn to handle. I’m slowly learning. It’s a new beginning for me. I will try to prepare myself as much as possible. Nobody can peak all the time, and nobody can win all the time.”
The India Open, a BWF World Tour Super 500-level event, features a total prize pool of US$400,000 (S$542,000).
In addition to Loh, his brother, Loh Kean Hean, is also competing at the India Open. Currently ranked 106th in men’s doubles, Loh Kean Hean will partner with Hee Yong Kai Terry to face India’s Krishna Prasad Garara and Vishnuvardhan Goud Panjala in their next match on January 12.
