Loh Kean Yew wins BWF World Tour Super 500 Hylo Open in men’s singles

Team Singapore shuttler Loh Kean Yew won his first Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Tour Super 500 men’s singles title on Sunday (Nov 7). 

Kean Yew, ranked 39th in the world, defied the odds to beat Malaysia’s Lee Zii Jia, ranked 8th, in the final at the Saarlandhalle in Saarbrucken, Germany. He was leading in the game (19-21, 21-13, and 17-12) when Zii Jia was forced to retire due to a back injury. 

In winning the title, Kean Yew became the first Singaporean male player to win in a Superseries or Super 500+ event. He is also the first Singaporean to do so in over 10 years. Women’s doubles pair Yao Lei and Shinta Mulia Sari were the last to do so at the Singapore Open 2010. 

Last month, Kean Yew clinched the singles title at the Yonex Dutch Open 2021 after defeating India’s Laskhya Sen.

Kean Yew’s latest triumph was widely celebrated by many, including the Minister for Community, Culture and Youth Edwin Tong. Mr Tong wrote in a Facebook post: “Simply amazing performance from Kean Yew! He fought tooth and nail for this! History made for Singapore!!”

In the women’s singles, Singapore’s Yeo Jia Min, ranked 26th in the world, lost in the final against Thailand’s Busanan Ongbamrungphan, ranked 14th in the world. 

However, the ranking points that she earned during this match would allow her to break into the world’s top 20 for the first time.