SINGAPORE: After his career high of being ranked third in the Badminton World Federation (BWF)’s rankings in November 2022, Loh Kean Yew slipped to seventh. But now, having placed second last Sunday (Apr 30) at the Asia Championships, Loh has climbed back up three spots and is now ranked fourth in the world.
BWF updated its rankings on Tuesday (May 2), reflecting Loh’s new spot just one rung below his career high.
The 25-year-old athlete admitted in an Instagram post that the past week has been a “mixed” one wherein he “had some good runs as well as some hard lessons to learn” but appeared to be gratified to be “leaving Dubai with a 🥈(silver medal) in the bag.”
Ever-gracious, he offered his “heartiest congratulations to @sinisukanthony for winning the Asian title” and added that he is now “Heading to Cambodia for the SEA Games soon, see you then.”
It had been an easy win for Indonesia’s Anthony Sinisuka Ginting, besting Loh in straight sets in under half an hour, 12–21, 8–21.
Nevertheless, Loh has much to be proud of, as he is the first Singaporean player to reach the finals of the Asian Championships.
Ginting, 26, has retained his rank as second in the world, while Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen, 29, is still in pole position. Japan’s 21-year-old wunderkind, Kodai Naraoka, is ahead of Loh, ranked third in the world.
For this year’s South East Asian (SEA) Games, which begin Friday (May 5), Loh will only be participating in team events because, by May 14, Loh will be in Suzhou, China, for the Sudirman Cup.
Loh will also be part of a six-member strong team at the 2023 KFF Singapore Badminton Open, along with reigning Commonwealth Games mixed doubles champions Terry Hee and Jessica Tan, Commonwealth Games bronze medalist Yeo Jia Min and women’s doubles pair Crystal Wong Jia Ying and Jin Yu Jia. /TISG