SINGAPORE: Defending badminton world champion Loh Kean Yew put in an impressive performance on Thursday August 25 and remains in contention to defend his title after advancing to the quarter-finals of the world championships.
The Singaporean beat Hong Kong world number 11 Angus Ng Ka-long 21-11, 11-4 after his opponent pulled out in the second game. The match lasted 23 minutes.
It was the second meeting between the two players, with Loh winning both encounters.
Loh, the world number eight, will next face Thailand’s Kunlavut Vitidsarn. At the Southeast Asian Games earlier this year, the Thai defeated Loh to win the Games singles gold.
At last year’s World Championships, Loh embarked on a fairy tale run that saw him upset a number of higher ranked players, including Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen, en route to claiming the title. .
In men’s doubles this year, Singaporeans Terry Hee and Loh Kean Hean lost to Indians Dhruv Kapila and MR Arjun. The Indian pair took the win 18-21, 21-15, 21-16.
Hee and Jessica Tan’s mixed doubles run also ended later in the day after losing to Hong Kong’s Tang Chun Man and Tse Ying Suet. The world number 7 duo won the match 21-10, 21-15.
Singapore’s unseeded women’s doubles pair Jin Yujia and Crystal Wong were also eliminated after losing to 11th-seeded Chinese Zhang Shu Xian and Zheng Yu 15-21, 14-21.