Since winning the Spanish Masters in March of last year, Loh Kean Yew has experienced some near-misses, most recently when he reached the European Open last two months ago.
The Singaporean won this year’s second Badminton World Federation ( BWF ) showpiece clash 21-14, 15-21, 22-20, and 21-21, respectively, in the men’s singles final of the Taipei Open on May 11 and won the match 21-14.
The world no. 11 reclaimed his 2024 Thailand Masters name from the Japanese, who is ranked four spots ahead of him, to claim his third BWF World Tour name, his first since the Spain Masters competition.
The previous world champion even increased his lead over his 35-year-old challenger to 4-4 after winning, with Chou unable to counteract his problems at the Taipei Arena.
Loh, 27, had been in good shape this year, winning the bronze medal at the Badminton Asia Championships last month, placing second in the European Open, and advanceing to the quarter-finals of the All England Open.
Loh won the Thailand Masters in 2019 and the Hylo Open in 2021 in addition to winning the previous year’s Spain Masters name and being declared the 2021 World Champion.
In a war of two rising 18-year-olds to win her second BWF World Tour subject, Japan’s Tomoka Miyazaki defeated Thai Pitchamon, 21-12, 20-22, 21-14, in a final of the women’s singles competition.