Huelva: Loh Kean Yew has experienced a tremendous breakthrough after spending a month sparring with the Tokyo Olympics champion, Viktor Axelsen in Dubai, in mid-September, 2021.
The World No. 22 Singaporean successfully clinched the 2021 Dutch Open on Oct 17, 2021, then the 2021 HYLO Open on Nov 7, 2021. He then defeated former World No. 1 Kento Momota in the second round of Indonesia Open on Nov 25, 2021, before handing current World No. 1 Viktor Axelsen of Denmark a first-round exit at the 2021 BWF World Championships on Monday.
Loh produced a sizzling display of speed and powerful smashes towards Axelsen’s baseline corners, pressuring Axelsen to make unforced errors to beat the Olympic champion 14-21, 21-9, 21-6 in 54 minutes.
“I’m very excited to be able to beat the Olympic champion after losing to him a few weeks ago,” said Loh. Loh lost to Viktor Axelsen in the Indonesia Open final 13-21, 21-9, 13-21 on Nov 28, 2021.
“I could tell that Viktor was under a lot of pressure as well and he really wanted to win this one. In the second game, when the drift changed, his shot quality and confidence were not the same as the first game,” explained Loh.
However, Loh admitted that spending a month training with Axelsen in Dubai did help him a lot.
“After training together in Dubai, I am very familiar with his playing style, and it did help me a lot,” continued Loh.
Loh’s playing style against Axelsen in the first round of the 2021 World Championships showed a very close resemblance to the Malaysian badminton legend, Lee Chong Wei.
Loh will take on Luka Wraber of Austria in the next round.
In another men’s singles match, Malaysia’s World No. 36 Daren Liew got off to good start by overcoming Misha Zilberman of Israel 21-14, 21-14. Liew will play H. S. Prannoy of India in the second round. H. S. Prannoy also pulled off an upset by beating No. 8 seed Angus Ng Ka Long of Hong Kong 13-21, 21-18, 21-19.
Meanwhile, the No. 6 seed Lee Zii Jia of Malaysia faced a spirited challenge from Jason Anthony Ho-shue of Canada, needing 50 minutes to see off the Canadian 21-10, 17-21, 21-11. Lee will meet Ygor Coelho of Brazil next.
