SINGAPORE: Singapore national shuttler Yeo Jia Min overcame her title drought of more than five years as she reigned supreme at the German Open, outclassing Vietnam’s Nguyen Thuy Linh 21-16, 21-17 in the women’s singles final at the Westenergie Sporthalle on March 2.
Her previous Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Tour title came at the Super 100 Hyderabad Open in 2019 against South Korean An Se-Young. Yeo’s opponent, who won the gold medal at the Paris Olympics last year, was named BWF’s 2019 Most Promising Player of the Year and 2023’s Female Player of the Year.
“This title means a lot to me. I’ve gone through so many losses and setbacks that this victory becomes even sweeter,” said Yeo who bagged US$18,000 with her win at the German Open.
“Coach Kim Ji Hyun and I set this goal at the beginning of the year, and I’m so happy to finally have this breakthrough. She has been helping me to prepare tactically and mentally before every match. I also do some self-talk to myself if I feel like I need to have more focus or be calmer.”
Over at the German Open men’s final, second-seeded Loh Kean Yew narrowly lost the title to top seed and world No. 4 Viktor Axelsen of Denmark, succumbing to a hard-fought 19-21,18-21. As the runner-up, Loh brings home US$9,120 in prize money.
President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, who had previously congratulated Jason Teh on his win at the Thailand Masters, praised both Yeo and Loh for their performance at the German Open.
“An emotional victory for Yeo Jia Min at the Super 300 German Open last night. It was her first Badminton World Federation World Tour title since 2019, after five years of struggle,” shared President Shanmugaratnam on his social media page.
“Kudos also to Loh Kean Yew who came close to winning against Viktor Axelsen, the world No. 4, in the men’s finals. The competition at the top is tough, physically and mentally. Our badminton players are making their mark with the best.”
Loh’s path to the men’s final was paved with convincing victories, as he first dispatched fellow Team Singapore shuttler Teh with a dominant 21-10, 21-14 win in the quarter-finals on Feb 28, before defeating Japan’s Koo Takahashi 21-13, 21-14 in the semi-finals the following day.
For top-seeded women’s singles player Yeo, the road to victory was tough, as she had to navigate a gruelling three-set match against Hina Akechi of Japan in the quarter-finals, eventually emerging with a hard-fought 21-8, 19-21, 21-18 win.
In the semi-finals, Yeo was stretched to the limit against Denmark’s Mia Blichfeldt, edging out a nail-biting 21-19, 22-20 victory in a thrilling 45-minute encounter that tested both her mental and physical endurance.
“It is already a cause for celebration when two Singaporeans are contesting both singles finals at a BWF Super 300 tournament,” said Mr Lawrence Leow, president of Singapore Badminton Association.
“It couldn’t come at a better time as we celebrate SG60 as this is possible only because of the dedication and efforts of all of Team Singapore – parents, coaches, players and administrators – over the decades. Jia Min’s victory today only made it sweeter.”
Mr Edwin Tong, Minister for Community, Culture and Youth, also praised the two Team Singapore shuttlers for “making their mark on the world stage”.
“A huge congratulations to Jia Min, who ended a 66-month wait for a BWF World Tour title in style. Showing composure and confidence, Jia Min captured the biggest title of her career … This marks her third World Tour title and a major boost as she continues her climb up the rankings,” said Mr Tong.
“Kean Yew impressed us with a strong run to the men’s singles final, showing once again why he’s among the very best. Facing world No. 4 and two-time Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen, Kean Yew put up a spirited fight before finishing as a hard-fought runner-up,”
Fresh from their German Open exploits, Team Singapore shuttlers will shift their focus to the Orleans Badminton Masters 2025 in France, scheduled to take place from March 4 to March 9.
They will kick off their campaign in the Round of 32, Loh and Teh will embark on their respective men’s singles journeys against opponents Yushi Tanaka of Japan and Kiran George of India.
German Open women’s singles winner Yeo will face Scotland’s Kirsty Gilmour in the women’s singles, while mixed doubles pair Terry Hee and Yu Jia Jin will be up against Ruttanapak Oupthong and Jhenicha Sudjaipraparat of Thailand.
