Loh Kean Yew loses Singapore Badminton Open final to France's Alex Lanier

The Singapore Badminton Open title will not be won by a local this year, as Singaporean Loh Kean Yew was defeated in the men's singles final by France's Alex Lanier. The match, held at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, saw the world No. 9 Lanier overcome the world No. 14 Loh with a score of 17-21, 21-15, 21-14.

This victory marks a significant achievement for the 21-year-old Lanier, who now holds a 3-1 head-to-head record against Loh. For Loh, this was his first appearance in the final of his home tournament. His previous best performance was reaching the semi-finals in 2022, where he lost to Indonesia's Anthony Ginting.

The long-standing wait for a Singaporean men's singles champion at this prestigious event continues. The last time a Singaporean man won the title was in 1962 when Wee Choon Seng emerged victorious. More recently, Ronald Susilo reached the final in 2002 but could not secure the win. In women's doubles, Shinta Mulia Sari and Yao Lei were the last Singaporean winners, claiming the title in 2010.

Loh had battled through a challenging path to reach the final. He secured hard-fought victories in previous rounds, including a three-set win over India's H S Prannoy in the round of 16 and another decider against Japan's Koki Watanabe in the semi-finals. His determination was evident throughout the tournament, but he ultimately fell short in the championship match.