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Loh made history as the first Singaporean shuttler to make a Games final. Photo: SNOC/ Eng Chin An
Loh Kean Yew has a date with destiny in the men’s singles competition of the Aichi-Nagoya Games.
After beating South Korea’s world No.46 Yoo Tae Bin in Monday’s (Sep 28) semi-finals 2-1 (21-19, 19-21, 21-12), Loh became the first Singaporean to make a badminton final at the Asian Games.
Standing in his way of gold on Tuesday (Sep 29) is a familiar foe, Thailand’s Kunlavut Vitidsarn, with whom he has an inferior head-to-head record of 8-2.
The last time Loh was in a major Games final was the 2022 SEA Games, where he fell to the same opponent.
“Obviously happy to make the final of the Asian Games, but I need to stay focused for tomorrow’s game.”
In Monday's semi-final, Loh came up against rising star Yoo, who had beaten three top-20 opponents on his way to the final four – world No.11 Lin Chun-yi, world No.6 Shi Yu Qi and world No.7 Kodai Naraoka.
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Loh will take on Kunlavut on Tuesday's final. Photo: SNOC/ Lim Wei Xiang
Loh occasionally struggled with some of the South Korean’s smashes from the backcourt, sometimes giving away easy shots for his opponent to capitalise on.
“I couldn’t control the lifts well… He’s a strong player.”
“(Players like him) are very confident and there are a lot of shots that look impossible to return, but they somehow return them,” Loh said of Yoo.
“These kinds of players are usually the most dangerous. And I played many of these kinds of players. I was this kind of player at a point in my career. So I just try my best with each point,” said Loh, adding that he could not find enough videos of his 22-year-old opponent before the match.
But Loh dug deep in the 69-minute long encounter, and his experience prevailed as he wrapped up the tie in the rubber set.
With an all-Southeast Asia matchup in tomorrow’s decider, Loh said: “It’s a proud moment for both of us… But all the players, we just want to give our best and be on the podium. We train hard and fight for each point and each match.”
The 20th Asian Games are held in Japan from 19 September to 4 October 2026. For the latest Team Singapore coverage and news, follow Team Singapore on their social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok) or visit the official Team Singapore website.
