SINGAPORE – Nationwide shuttler Loh Kean Yew is one win away from changing into the primary Singaporean to win a medal on the Badminton World Federation World Championships after beating Thailand’s Kantaphon Wangcharoen 21-4, 21-7 of their last-16 match on Thursday (Dec 16).
The world No. 22 will face both Denmark’s world No. 10 Rasmus Gemke or India’s Thirty second-ranked Prannoy H. S. within the quarter-finals in Huelva, Spain, on Friday and victory will guarantee not less than a shared bronze.
In opposition to world No. 20 Kantaphon, the bronze-medallist on the final version in 2019, Loh was aggressive from the beginning and led 11-2 within the opening body earlier than closing it out in simply 12 minutes.
The 24-year-old continued to remain one step forward of his opponent along with his superior shuttlecock management and court docket protection as he flew to an 11-0 begin within the second recreation earlier than claiming a dominant victory and matching Ronald Susilo’s quarter-final run within the 2007 version.
Loh, who reached the final 16 on the earlier world championships, stated: “I am completely happy issues went in keeping with plan and I managed to win one other match and attain my first world championship quarter-final, however it isn’t over but.
“I would like to remain centered and proceed to get well and put together properly for the following match.”
It has been a powerful finish to 2021 for Loh, who surged 21 locations in eight weeks to crack the highest 20 earlier than settling in at No. 22.
In addition to capturing the Dutch Open and Hylo Open titles previously two months, he additionally claimed the scalps of Japan’s then-world No. 1 Kento Momota (Indonesia Open), Malaysia’s world No. 7 and All England champion Lee Zii Jia (French Open) and Chinese language Taipei’s world No. 4 Chou Tien-chen (Hylo Open).
At these World Championships, he shocked Denmark’s world No. 1 and Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen 14-21, 21-9, 21-6 within the opening spherical, earlier than easing previous Austria’s 93rd-ranked Luka Wraber 21-4, 21-8 within the second spherical.
One other easy win in opposition to Kantaphon in simply half-hour means Loh might be brisker in his bid to make historical past.
