"Drained" Loh Kean Yew bows out of 2022 Japan Open in second round - reaction to another shock result

Loh Kean Yew failed to see off Prannoy H.S. as the 2021 men's badminton world champion went out in the second round of the 2022 Japan Open on Thursday (1 September).

Loh had game point in the first set and was up by as much as 14-7 in the second but was still beaten 22-20, 21-19 by Prannoy at Maruzen Intec Arena Osaka.

Loh, who lost to eventual silver medallist Kunlavut Vitidsarn in the quarter-finals at the world championships last week, pinned the defeat to fatigue from the lead-up to that event, which has led to several top seeds going out early here.

"The whole body is kind of tired. Drained", the Singaporean told Olympics.com after the defeat. "I gave my all for (the world championships).

"Of course I was trying to pump myself up but it wasn't enough. Still dragging my body around. It's quite draining to play back-to-back.

"I haven't had a proper rest since May. I think it's time for a good break".

Loh follows Momota Kento and Lee Zee Jia in exiting the men's singles event early.

Prannoy, who faces the evergreen Chou Tien Chen on Friday, felt he caught a break against Loh.

"I was never in in the game I would say", the Indian said. "But in certain patches I was trying a few kind of game bits I wanted to try and probably it worked today. Lucky to be in the quarterfinals".

On the women's side, two-time defending world champion Yamaguchi Akane came from behind to beat He Bing Jiao 18-21, 21-13, 21-12 while Tokyo 2020 Olympic gold medallist Chen Yu Fei knocked out Beiwen Zhang 21-15, 21-10.

Carolina Marin, Tai Tzu Ying and An Se Young all progressed.