BWF French Open 2024: Loh Kean Yew through to second round
The 2021 men’s singles world champion still has not lost a match to Toma Junior Popov, as he sent out the home favourite at the BWF World Tour Super 750 event in Paris, France.
Badminton
Singapore's badminton star Loh Kean Yew has advanced to the second round of the BWF French Open 2024 after defeating Toma Junior Popov of France 21-14, 23-21 on Tuesday (5 March).
World No. 12 Loh got off to a good start racing to a 11- 6 lead, and he stayed in control after the break to wrap up the first game.
In the second period, the 26-year-old Singaporean faced a tougher challenge by Popov, who took a four-point lead at 13-17.
However, Loh produced a remarkable comeback by taking four consecutive points.
Popov had the chance to take the second game at 20-21 but failed to win another point.
In the end, Loh proved to be too strong for the Frenchman, and he has yet to lose to Popov in now four encounters.
The former men’s singles world champion has not won a BWF World Tour title since 2021. He was close last month when he came up short in the final of the Thailand Masters losing to Chou Tien Chen.
Next, Loh will face the fifth seeded Indonesian Anthony Sinisuka Ginting, who beat Weng Hong Yang of the People's Republic of China 7-21, 21-18, 21-15 earlier in the day.
Meanwhile, Tokyo 2020 men's singles Olympic champion, Viktor Axelsen, swept aside Priyanshu Rajawat of India 21-8, 21-15.
Elsewhere in women's singles, world No. 1 An Se-young ousted Pornpawee Chochuwong of Thailand 21-10, 21-8 to progress to the second round.
The BWF French Open 2024 concludes on Sunday (10 March).