SINGAPORE: A fiercely competitive battle awaits local shutters at the 2024 KFF Singapore Badminton Open, to be held from May 28 to June 2 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.
Singapore will be represented in three categories: Loh Kean Yew (men’s singles), Yeo Jia Min (women’s singles), and the mixed doubles by Terry Hee and Jessica Tan.
Organised by the Singapore Badminton Association, the Badminton World Federation’s World Tour Super 750 series tournament will feature the top 15 singles players and top 10 doubles pairs, all competing for the coveted titles and a share of the lucrative US$850,000 ((S$1.15 million) prize purse.
Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam will be the guest of honour at the tournament finals on Sunday, June 2, and he will present the awards to the champions of each category.
“This year, we’re thrilled to host the most competitive field in our tournament’s history. Fans of all ages are in for a treat with world-class matches and the opportunity to engage in various family-friendly activities at our carnival.
It’s set to be an unforgettable event for all,” said Bryan Long, Chairman of the KFF Singapore Badminton Open 2024.
Women’s Singles – Yeo Jia Min
Yeo faces a daunting task in her women’s singles opener as she takes on eighth-ranked Chinese shuttler He Bing Jiao, against whom she has suffered four consecutive defeats in their previous encounters, including their most recent meeting at the Uber Cup competition in April this year.
Her quarter-final match at the Thailand Open ended in agony, as she suffered an achilles injury that cut short her campaign and forced her to withdraw from the subsequent Malaysia Masters.
Despite this setback, her most notable performance this year remains her impressive third-place finish at the India Open in New Delhi.
“The KFF Singapore Badminton Open is always a special tournament for me, and I’m eager to do my best in front of the home crowd,” said Yeo, currently ranked 18th in the world.
Men’s Singles – Loh Kean Yew
Home-favourite Loh will be up against China’s 19th-ranked Lu Guang Zu in the opening round.
Should he overcome the first hurdle, he could face world number four Anders Antonsen of Denmark and possibly world number six Li Shifeng of China in the quarter-finals.
If Loh can successfully navigate his way to the semi-finals, he will likely face a daunting challenge in the form of a potential showdown against the world’s top-ranked player, Viktor Axelsen, or a thrilling rematch against two-time defending champion Anthony Ginting from Indonesia.
“I’m always looking forward to competing on home ground, surrounded by our local supporters! I feel so humbled and grateful to have them cheering me on.
It’s a truly special feeling that always motivates me to give my best,” reflected Loh, recalling his impressive semi-final run in 2022, where he ultimately fell to the eventual champion, Ginting.
The world no. 12 will be looking to erase the bitter memory of a shocking Round of 16 exit last year, where he fell 10-21, 21-23 to Christian Popov in the Round of 16.
This time around, he’s determined to make a deeper impact and progress further in the tournament, with the possibility of claiming the coveted title in front of the home crowd.
Loh boasts an impressive head-to-head record against Lu, having triumphed over the Chinese shuttler in their two encounters at the Indonesia Masters 2022 and the Badminton Asia Championships 2023.
The 2021 BWF world champions also enjoyed success against Antonsen last year, with victories at the Denmark Open and China Open, although Antonsen pushed him to the limit in a thrilling three-game match at the Korea Open.
The Singapore shuttler finally snapped his 833-day title drought earlier this year, triumphantly lifting the Madrid Spain Masters title in March after a thrilling 21-11, 15-21, 22-20 victory over Toma Junior Popov.
This breakthrough win followed a strong performance at the Thailand Masters in February, where he narrowly missed out on the title, falling 16-21, 21-6, 16-21 to Chinese Taipei’s Chou Tien Chen in a hard-fought final.
Mixed Doubles – Terry Hee and Jessica Tan
Meanwhile, Hee and Tan will also face a challenging Singapore Badminton Open opening campaign in the mixed doubles event.
The duo will face world number four pair Seo Seung Jae and Chae Yu Jung from South Korea, the latter of whom has won all three previous encounters.
Between February and March, the husband-and-wife duo embarked on a gruelling European tour, battling it out in five tournaments – the German Open, French Open, All England Badminton Championships, Swiss Open, and Madrid Spain Masters.
After their whirlwind European adventure, they travelled to China in April for the Badminton Asia Championships. This was followed by a rigorous four-week training camp to focus on honing their strength and conditioning.
After the Singapore Badminton Open, Hee and Tan will next compete at the Indonesian and Australian Opens. Beyond the exhilarating on-court battles, the KFF Singapore Badminton Open 2024 promises an engaging fan experience.
A family-friendly carnival will be held at OCBC Square daily from 10 am to 9 pm, featuring game booths, live performances, delayed live streaming, meet-and-greet sessions with players, and merchandise booths.