Loh Kean Yew and Singapore suffer 5-0 loss in Badminton Asia Mixed Team Championships 2023 opener
The 2021 men's singles world champion Loh Kean Yew and his teammates had no answer to the Republic of Korea's superior skills in Dubai, while Indonesia secured their own 5-0 win.
Badminton
Not even the experience of Loh Kean Yew could prevent Singapore from an opening 5-0 loss to Group A rivals the Republic of Korea at the Badminton Asia Mixed Team Championship 2023, on Tuesday (14 February).
Up first in Dubai was the mixed doubles, where Korea’s Kim Won Ho and Jeong Na Eun overpowered Jun Liang Andy Kwek and Wong Jia Ying Crystal 21-15, 21-17.
Kim Gaeun made it 2-0 overall, when she came from behind to beat Yeo Jia Min 19-21, 21-16, 21-19 in the women’s singles.
It was up to Loh Kean Yew in the men’s singles to try and keep Singapore in the contest, and things initially looked promising for the 2021 men’s singles world champion after he won the opening game against Lee Yun Gyu 21-10.
But Lee regrouped to win the next two games 21-18, 21-15 to give Korea an unassailable 3-0 lead.
Women’s doubles duo Baek Ha Na and Lee So Hee then made it 4-0, thanks to their 18-21, 21-4, 21-15 victory over Jin Yu Jia and Wong Jia Ying Crystal.
Kim Won Ho and Na Sung Seung completed the 5-0 rout with their men’s doubles win over Hee Yong Kai Terry and Loh Kean Hean, 21-13, 21-16.
It was better news for Indonesia in Group C, who began their campaign with a comprehensive 5-0 win over Lebanon.
Men’s singles World No. 3 Anthony Ginting needed just 17 minutes to put his nation in control with a 21-6, 21-8 win over Abi Younes Christophe.
In the women’s singles, Putri Kusuma Wardani defeated Zeina Kazma 21-5, 21-4, before Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Rian Ardianto teamed up to beat Christophe and Raphael Renno 21-6, 21-8.
In the final match, women’s doubles pair Apriyani Rahayu and Siti Fadia Silva Ramadhanti overpowered Mira Houssein Agha and Kazma 21-4, 21-5.
Elsewhere in Group A, the 2019 winners People’s Republic of China defeated Uzbekistan 5-0.
Lei Lan Xi and Cai Yan Yan won the men’s and women’s singles respectively, before Ren Ziang Yu and Tan Qiang won the men’s doubles.
Li Yi Jing and Luo Xu Min took the women’s doubles tie, before Jiang Zhen Bang and Wei Ya Xin finished things off in the mixed doubles