SINGAPORE: The long wait for a Singaporean to win the Singapore Badminton Open men's singles title will go on after Loh Kean Yew lost to France’s Alex Lanier in the final on Sunday (May 31).At the Singapore Indoor Stadium, world-ranked 9 Lanier beat Loh 17-21, 21-15, 21-14. This is the 21-year-old's third victory in four appearances against Loh, who is ranked 14th in the world.The last Singaporean man to win the home tournament was Wee Choon Seng in 1962, while Ronald Susilo fell at the final hurdle in 2002. The women’s doubles pair of Shinta Mulia Sari and Yao Lei won the tournament in 2010.This is Loh’s first time qualifying for the final at his home tournament. Prior to this edition, his best finish was a semi-final appearance in 2022, where he lost to Indonesia’s Anthony Ginting.Loh had to dig deep to book his final spot this year.He eked out wins over India’s Srikanth Kidambi and then H S Prannoy in the round-of-16, before beating Chi Yu-jen. All three matches went to a decider.He then qualified for Sunday’s final by outlasting Japan’s Koki Watanabe 21-15, 15-21, 21-9 on Saturday.
Loh Kean Yew falls to Alex Lanier, misses out on Singapore Badminton Open title
Loh was the first Singaporean to make the men's singles final at the tournament since Ronald Susilo in 2002.
TL;DRAI
Alex Lanier (FRA, world no. 9) beat Loh Kean Yew 17-21, 21-15, 21-14 in the Singapore Badminton Open final, his third win from four meetings with the world no. 14. Singapore's men's singles title drought at home now stands at 63 years, with no local champion since Wee Choon Seng in 1962.
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