Singapore’s Loh Kean Yew advances to India Open finals in walkover

SINGAPORE: Singapore’s Loh Kean Yew is through to the finals of the India Open badminton tournament after his opponent withdrew from their semi-final match on Saturday (Jan 14).

Loh was meant to face Canada’s Brian Yang who is reported to have fallen ill. 

He will be up against either India’s Lakshya Sen or Malaysia’s Ng Tze Yong in the finals – depending on the results of their semi-finals match.

The championship in New Delhi has been hit by COVID-19, with several players withdrawing in recent days after testing positive.

In the mixed doubles event, Singapore pair Terry Hee Yong Kai and Tan Wei Han are also through to the finals after their opponents – Russians Rodion Alimov and Alina Davletova – withdrew from their semi-final match.

One of them tested positive for COVID-19.

“The player returned a positive result to a mandatory RT-PCR test conducted on Friday,” the Badminton World Federation announced in a news release on Saturday, although it did not name the player.

“His doubles partner has been identified as a close contact and has also been withdrawn from the tournament. Their opponents will be given a walkover to the final.”

There was also a walkover in the women’s doubles event.

The team of Ekaterina Malkova and Anastasiia Shapovalova withdrew from the semi-final match against their fellow Russians Anastasiia Akchurina and Olga Morozova, who will now advance to the finals.

On Friday, Singapore’s Yeo Jia Min withdrew from her quarter-final match after she experienced a “high fever”. She tested negative for COVID-19 in an antigen rapid test, said the Singapore Badminton Association.