Loh Kean Yew: Rising badminton star makes national history

Badminton fans here made a racket on Sunday.

Powerful smashes, quick lunges and deceptive strokes - Singaporeans watched in awe as rising badminton star Loh Kean Yew showcased his skills against his more experienced opponent - India's world No. 14 Kidambi Srikanth - in the final of the World Championships.

Loh, 24, who was unseeded, won in two sets, sealing his fairy-tale run that began by claiming the scalp of Denmark's world No. 1 and Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen in the opening round.

His feat in Huelva, Spain, unmatched by any Singaporean badminton player before this, sent the nation into euphoria.

His hot form began in October, when he won the lower-tier Dutch Open as the world No. 41, beating India's 25th-ranked Lakshya Sen in the final. The next month, he beat Taiwanese world No. 4 Chou Tien-chen and then Malaysia's world No. 7 Lee Zii Jia en route to winning the Hylo Open in Germany.

He said: "Yes, I won the world championships, but there's still a long way to go and I'm just getting started. This world title gives me that extra motivation and belief to know that I'm on the right track and I will continue to work hard to try and achieve more success, including a medal at the next Olympics."

"Even as I become a higher-ranked favourite in some matches, I aim to justify that tag and continue to do Singapore proud," he added.