SINGAPORE - National shuttler Loh Kean Yew crashed out in the second round of the Chinese Taipei Open on Thursday (Sept 5) after a 22-20, 17-21, 21-16 defeat by Japan's Koki Watanabe.
The closely-fought encounter at the Taipei Arena lasted 63 minutes and fittingly came down to the closing points of the final game.
World No. 28 Loh had led 12-9 before his Japanese opponent, ranked 25 places lower, clawed back to level the score at 16-16.
Watanabe, 20, then won the next five points to secure his spot in the quarter-finals.
The 22-year-old Loh felt he was undone by his stamina and inability to manage his nerves, saying: "Overall, from this trip, I feel that I still need to work on my patience on court, I need to be calmer.
"My speed slowed down while he picked up his pace."
He had beaten 11th ranked and tournament second seed Angus Ng 21-19, 21-12 in the first round on Wednesday.
The last time Loh and Watanabe met was in the quarter-finals of the 2015 BWF World Junior Championships in Peru, where the Singaporean fell 24-22, 21-17.
Watanabe went on to claim the bronze in the boys' singles event.
Loh's teammate Yeo Jia Min, who memorably made the quarter-finals of the world championships in August, is also out of the Chinese Taipei tournament.
She lost 21-19, 21-14 to second seed Michelle Li of Canada in the women's singles on Wednesday.
In the men's doubles, Loh's older brother Kean Hean and Danny Bawa Chrisnanta fell 15-21, 21-18, 21-13 on Thursday to fourth seeds Goh V Shem and Tan Wee Kiong from Malaysia.
