In Nagoya's Ichinomiya City Municipal Gymnasium, Singapore's Loh Kean Yew settled a three-year-old debt with the Asian Games, defeating India's Lakshya Sen in a hard-fought three-game contest to claim his first singles victory at this stage of the competition. The former world champion's journey through the draw is more than a sporting result — it is a quiet reckoning with the past, and a step toward a legacy still being written for a nation that has waited two decades for a badminton medal at these Games.
Loh Kean Yew advances to Asian Games round of 16 with victory over Lakshya Sen
To be able to win here, it feels even more special.
Mark
So Loh had lost at this exact stage three years ago. Was that weighing on him going in?
Mimi
It's hard to say what's in someone's head, but the timing is notable—he came back from 5-1 down and played his best tennis when it mattered. Whether that was about proving something or just finding his rhythm, the result speaks for itself.
Luke
The source doesn't actually tell us whether Loh was thinking about 2023. We're inferring that. What we know is he lost then and won now, same round. That's the fact.
Mark
Fair. But Sen is ranked 14th—that's a serious opponent, not a warm-up match.
Mimi
Exactly. Loh himself said Sen is "all rounded and very fast and strong." And their head-to-head record was 4-7 against Loh going in, so Sen had actually been winning more often. This wasn't a foregone conclusion.
Luke
Though Loh had beaten Sen earlier this year, so there's recent momentum there too. The narrative isn't quite as dramatic as "underdog Loh overcomes rival"—it's more "Loh beats a player he's been competitive with, in a match that went to three sets."
Mark
What about Yeo? She looked dominant.
Mimi
She did—21-9, 21-13 against a player ranked 188th. But her next opponent is Ratchanok Intanon, world number 5. That's a completely different level of challenge.
Luke
Right. Yeo's first match tells us almost nothing about whether she can compete in the later rounds. It's a bye in disguise.
Mark
So both Singaporeans advanced, but neither has really been tested yet.
Mimi
Loh was tested more than Yeo, certainly. But you're right—the real tournament starts now.
Luke
And Singapore's only badminton medal at these Games is from 2006. That's the context. These two players are trying to change that, but it's a long way from a first-round win to a medal.
O Pulso
- Loh entered the court carrying the specific sting of 2023, when he fell at this identical round in Hangzhou — the kind of loss that follows an athlete into every subsequent preparation.
- Sen came out sharply, racing to a 5-1 lead and threatening to make history repeat before Loh reeled off ten straight points to seize the first game.
- The second game unravelled for Loh — unforced errors crept in, Sen's aggression intensified, and the match was levelled, forcing a decisive third set.
- Loh steadied in the decider, built an 8-3 cushion, survived a Sen comeback to 13-14, and closed out 21-14 — relief and vindication written plainly across his face.
- Singapore's campaign broadens: Yeo Jia Min also advanced, setting up a daunting second-round clash with world No. 5 Ratchanok Intanon, as the nation quietly eyes its first badminton medal since 2006.
In Nagoya's Ichinomiya City Municipal Gymnasium, Singapore's Loh Kean Yew settled a three-year-old debt with the Asian Games, defeating India's Lakshya Sen in a hard-fought three-game contest to claim his first singles victory at this stage of the competition. The former world champion's journey through the draw is more than a sporting result — it is a quiet reckoning with the past, and a step toward a legacy still being written for a nation that has waited two decades for a badminton medal at these Games.
Loh Kean Yew arrived at the Ichinomiya City Municipal Gymnasium in Nagoya on Saturday with unfinished business. Three years earlier, at the Hangzhou Asian Games, he had been eliminated in the round of 32 — the same stage, the same weight of expectation. This time, against India's Lakshya Sen, he was determined to write a different ending.
The match did not begin kindly. Sen, ranked 14th in the world, came out aggressive and opened a 5-1 lead. For a moment, the shadow of 2023 loomed. But Loh answered with the weapons that define him at his best — thunderous smashes and precise drop shots — stringing together ten consecutive points to take the first game 21-12 with authority.
The second game was a different story. Sen pressed harder, Loh began to err, and the Indian levelled the match to force a decider. Everything came down to the third set.
Loh seized it early, building an 8-3 lead before Sen clawed back to 13-14. But the Singaporean held his nerve, closing out 21-14 to secure his first Asian Games singles victory in two appearances. "To be able to win here, it feels even more special," he said afterward, acknowledging how evenly matched the two players have been across their careers.
Elsewhere, Yeo Jia Min also advanced, dismissing Maldives' Fathimath Abdul Razzaq in straight games before a far sterner test awaits — world No. 5 Ratchanok Intanon of Thailand. Singapore's only Asian Games badminton medal remains a women's team bronze from Doha in 2006. Both Loh and Yeo carry that history with them as the tournament deepens.
Loh Kean Yew walked into the Ichinomiya City Municipal Gymnasium in Nagoya on Saturday carrying the weight of unfinished business. Three years earlier, at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games, he had lost in this exact round—the round of 32 in men's singles—and the memory of that exit had lingered. This time, facing India's Lakshya Sen, the former world champion was determined to move forward.
The match began badly. Sen, ranked 14th in the world to Loh's 13th, came out aggressive and built a 5-1 lead in the opening game. For a moment, it looked as though history might repeat itself. But Loh responded with the kind of tennis that has defined his career at its best: he reeled off ten consecutive points, seizing control and establishing a six-point cushion by the interval. The Singaporean's trademark weapons—his smashes and his precise drop shots—were working with devastating effect. Sen had no answer.
The second game tightened considerably. Sen took a one-point lead into the break and pressed harder, adopting a more aggressive stance. Loh, meanwhile, began to make unforced errors. The Indian's intensity pulled the match level, forcing a decider after 65 minutes of play. The scoreline at that point was 21-12, 15-21, and everything would be decided in the third.
Loh seized the momentum early in the final game, building an 8-3 lead. Sen fought back, closing to 13-14, but Loh held his nerve when it mattered most. He won 21-14, securing his first singles victory at an Asian Games in two appearances. The relief was visible. "It's an honour and a privilege to be here representing Singapore," Loh said afterward. "And to be able to win here, it feels even more special." He acknowledged Sen's quality, noting that his opponent was "all rounded and also very fast and strong," and that their head-to-head record—Loh now leading 5-7 overall—reflected how evenly matched they were.
Loh's path forward now leads through Malaysia's Justin Hoh, ranked 48th globally, later the same day. But his breakthrough on Saturday mattered for more than just the immediate tournament. It was vindication after the disappointment of 2023, proof that he belonged at this level, and momentum heading into the deeper rounds.
Elsewhere in the draw, Singapore's other singles representative, Yeo Jia Min, also advanced. The world number 45 dispatched Maldives' Fathimath Abdul Razzaq 21-9, 21-13 in a dominant performance, setting up a second-round clash against Thailand's Ratchanok Intanon, currently ranked fifth in the world. Yeo's path will be considerably steeper than Loh's opening assignment, but she too has momentum heading into Saturday's evening session.
Singapore has sent four badminton players to these Games—Loh, Yeo, and the men's doubles pair of Wesley Koh and Junsuke Kubo, who were scheduled to compete later on Saturday. The country's only Asian Games badminton medal remains the women's team bronze from 2006 in Doha, a gap that both Loh and Yeo will be hoping to narrow as the tournament progresses.
Citações Notáveis
It's an honour and a privilege to be here representing Singapore to participate in the Games, whether it is Olympics, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games or SEA Games. And to be able to win here, it feels even more special.— Loh Kean Yew
He's all rounded and also very fast and strong. Lakshya is a good friend and tough opponent, it was a tough match.— Loh Kean Yew, on Lakshya Sen
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Leia o original em CNA ↗