Singapore Open: One Triumph from Immortality

For years, the Singapore Open has felt a little like unfinished business for Loh Kean Yew.

The 2021 world champion, the hometown hero thousands come to watch – yet the tournament that mattered most to locals had never quite yielded the breakthrough moment. Not until now.

On Saturday night, under the roar of a packed Singapore Indoor Arena, Loh defeated Japan’s Koki Watanabe 21-15 15-21 21-9 to become the first Singaporean men’s singles finalist in 24 years.

The last was Ronaldo Susilo in 2002; to find the champion, the clock must be wound all the way back to 1962, when Wee Choon Seng lifted the title. Since then, generations have waited for a homegrown winner.

Loh arrived at this year’s tournament carrying that history, but perhaps for the first time, not its weight.

After years of battling expectations on home soil, the world No.14 admitted injury setbacks and even the launch of his merchandise line helped shift his focus.

“I have a pretty good distraction this year,” he said with a laugh. “I’ve been injured and that probably took off a little bit of the expectations. I was also doing my merch, putting my mind a lot on that.”

Against Watanabe, there were fears another opportunity could ebb away after Loh surrendered the second game. But from 4-4 in the decider, there was no turning back.

“I just told myself to keep biting and fighting,” said Loh. “We were both quite tired with the high intensity. I just kept telling myself to fight one point by one point.”

Point by point became six straight from 14-6. Then on match point, a successful challenge. Suddenly, the dream was one victory away.

Now comes Frenchman Alex Lanier, who leads their head-to-head 2-1. Yet Loh’s lone victory came at this very arena a year ago, in three games – just like all his matches en route to the final this year.

Asked this journey felt similar to his world title run, Loh quickly shut down the comparison.

“No, no,” he said. “I still have a match tomorrow.”

In other words, history has to wait one more night. Destiny, however, is already knocking.