BADMINTON: Shocking win for Kean Yew Loh over Olympic champ Lin in Thailand Masters

Singapore's Kean Yew Loh

True, China’s Dan Lin is not the same player he was when he won Olympic gold medals in the 2008 and 2012 Games. Now 35, he was ranked 13th in the world leading into the Thailand Masters tournament in Bangkok.

But it was still a stunner to see him defeated by Singapore’s 21-year-old Kean Yew Loh, ranked 125th, in straight sets: 21-19, 21-18.

It was the first time that the two had ever met in competition and Lin came in with a career record of 638-107 for the five-time World Champion vs. 85-49 for Loh. But it didn’t matter, as Loh dispatched him in two close sets.

Sunday was a tough day for the home team, as Thai players were in three finals, but won only in the women’s Doubles, with Puttita Supajirakul and Sapsiree Taerattanachai defeating Wenmei Li and Yu Zheng (CHN). Malaysia scored two Doubles titles, thanks to V. Shem Goh and Wee Kiong Tean in the men’s division and Peng Soon Chan and Liu Ying Goh in the Mixed Doubles. Summaries:

BWF World Tour/Thailand Masters
Bangkok (THA) ~ 8-13 January 2019
(Full results here)

Men’s Singles: 1. Kean Yew Loh (SGP); 2. Dan Lin (CHN); 3. Guangzu Lu (CHN) and Brice Leverdez (FRA). Semis: Lin d. Lu, 21-11, 6-21, 21-18; Loh d. Leverdez, 14-21, 21-10, 21-14. Final: Loh d. Lin, 21-19, 21-18.

Men’s Doubles: 1. V. Shem Goh/Wee Kiong Tan (MAS); 2. Ching Yao Lu/Po Han Yang (TPE);
3. Akira Koga/Taichi Saito (JPN) and Sze Fei Goh/Nur Izzuddin (MAS). Semis: Goh/Tan d. Koga/Saito, 21-12, 21-10; Lu/Yang d. Goh/Izzuddin, 17-21, 21-13, 21-11. Final: Goh/Tan d. Lu/Yang, 21-13, 21-17.

Women’s Singles: 1. Fitriani Fitriani (INA); 2. Busanan Ongbamrungphan (THA); 3. Joy Xuan Deng (HKG) and Pornpawee Chochuwong (THA). Semis: Fitriani d. Deng, 12-21, 21-19, 21-16; Ongbamrungphan d. Chochuwong, 21-10, 21-4. Final: Fitriani d. Ongbamrungphan, 21-12, 21-14.

Women’s Doubles: 1. Puttita Supajirakul/Sapsiree Taerattanachai (THA); 2. Wenmei Li/Yu Zheng (CHN); 3. Ekaterina Bolotova/Alina Davletova (RUS) and Selena Piek/Cheryl Seinen (NED). Semis: Supajirakul/Taerattanachai d. Bolotova/Davletova, 18-21,21-12, 21-4; Li/Zheng d. Piek/Seinen, 21-18, 21-16. Final: Supajirakul/Taerattanachai d. Li/Zheng, 15-21, 21-15, 21-10.

Mixed Doubles: 1. Peng Soon Chan/Liu Ying Goh (MAS); 2. Dechapol Puavaranukroh/Sapsiree Taerattanachai (THA); 3. Chan Man Tang/Tsz Yau Ng (HKG) and Nipitphon Phuangphuapet/Savitree Amitrapai (THA). Semis: Chan/Goh d. Tang/Ng, 21-16, 21-15; Puavaranukroh/Taerattanachai d. Phuangphuapet/Amitrapai, 21-18, 21-16. Final: Chan/Goh d. Puavaranukroh/Taerattanachai, 21-16, 21-15.