Singapore's Loh Kean Yew beats Indian shuttler Lakshya Sen to win Dutch Open

Loh Kean Yew defeated Lakshya Sen, who was the tournament's top seed and world no. 25, in 36 minutes to win his sixth international title.

Loh Kean Yew and Lakshya Sen on the podium after the Dutch Open final. (Image: Twitter)
By Nilavro Ghosh | Oct 17, 2021 | 2 Min Read follow icon Follow Us

Loh Kean Yew of Singapore won the Yonex Dutch Open men’s singles title on Sunday, defeating Indian shuttler Lakshya Sen 21-12, 21-16 in the final. Loh, ranked 41st in the world, was seeded second in the tournament, which was held at the Topsportcentrum in Almere, near Amsterdam. In the preliminary rounds, he defeated Russia’s Vladimir Malkov, Azerbaijan’s Ade Resky Dwicahyo, Ireland’s Nhat Nguyen, and Spain’s Pablo Abian. Loh defeated Sen, the tournament’s top seed and world no. 25, in 36 minutes to win his sixth international title and his first since the 2019 Thailand Masters, where he defeated two-time Olympic singles champion, Lin Dan, in the final.

The 24-year-old also won the Mongolia International Series in 2018, the Malaysia International Series in 2017, and the Singapore International Series in 2017 and 2014. Loh told CNA that his goal for the tournament was to make it to the finals.

‘GLAD THAT I HIT THE TARGET’

“I’m glad that I hit that target,” he said. “I had a good start and I rode on the momentum.”

The Singapore Badminton Association celebrated the victory in a Facebook post. “Ladies and gentlemen, we’re incredibly pleased to extend our heartiest congratulations to the newly minted Yonex Dutch Open 2021 Men’s Singles Champion… Our very own Mr. Loh Kean Yew!” the association said.

The Singaporean Minister for Culture, Community, and Youth Edwin Tong also congratulated Loh for his “impressive” display in the Netherlands. “Kean Yew was dominant in the final, winning in straight sets 21-12, 21-16. In fact, he did not drop a single game en route to the title. Impressive!” he said in a Facebook post.

LOH WON HIS FIRST TOURNAMENT SINCE TOKYO OLYMPICS

The Dutch Open was Loh’s first tournament since the Tokyo Olympics, where he won against Aram Mahmoud of the Netherlands before losing to Indonesia’s Jonatan Christie. Following the Games, Loh spent a month in Dubai training with Denmark’s Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen. He stated that the time he spent with Axelsen and four other players, Englishman Toby Penty, Canadian Brian Yang, Swede Felix Burestedt, and Sunday’s opponent Sen, was extremely beneficial in his preparation for this tournament.

“I found myself steadier with my game and making less mistakes,” he added. “In the past, I would make simple errors easily, but things were better this time around.”

Singapore’s campaign at the Dutch Open continues later on Sunday, when Terry Hee Yong Kai and Loh’s older brother Kean Hean face Malaysia’s Tan Kian Meng and Tan Wee Kiong in the final of the men’s doubles. Loh will compete in the Denmark Open and French Open this month, followed by the Hylo Open in Germany next month.