Hong Kong, May 31 (IANS) Alex Lanier spoiled the homecoming dream of Loh Kean Yew on Sunday, battling back from a game down to defeat the Singaporean star 17-21, 21-15, 21-14 and capture the men’s singles title at the Singapore Open.
The victory marked another significant milestone in the rapid rise of the 21-year-old Frenchman, who secured his second BWF Super 750 crown and became the first French men’s singles player to win the prestigious tournament.
For Loh, the defeat was a heartbreaking end to a memorable week. The former world champion had been bidding to become the first Singaporean to lift the men’s singles trophy at the home event since 1962, with a packed arena firmly behind him throughout the final.
Lanier, however, showed from the outset that he had arrived with other plans. The French youngster burst out of the blocks, racing to a stunning 6-0 lead in the opening game and immediately placing Loh under pressure. Yet the Singaporean responded impressively, feeding off the crowd’s energy to claw his way back into the contest.
Point by point, Loh erased the deficit before drawing level at 10-10. Although Lanier held a slender one-point advantage at the mid-game interval, the momentum had shifted.
The two players exchanged blows after the restart, but it was Loh who found another gear. The Singaporean moved ahead for the first time at 14-13 and gradually tightened his grip on the game. Despite a late push from Lanier, Loh produced a composed finish, winning four of the final five points to seal the opener 21-17 and move within a game of a historic triumph.
Lanier’s response was emphatic. Mirroring his fast start from the first game, the Frenchman stormed into a 7-1 lead in the second and dictated rallies with greater aggression and precision. Loh mounted another spirited comeback, reeling off six consecutive points to close within one at 14-13 and reignite hopes of taking control of the match.
Just when the home crowd sensed a turning point, Lanier slammed the door shut. The Frenchman rattled off six unanswered points to wrest back momentum and close out the second game 21-15, forcing a deciding third set.
What followed was Lanier at his clinical best. For the third time in the match, he surged into a 6-0 lead and, unlike the previous two games, never allowed Loh a route back. While the Singaporean continued to fight and attempted to spark another comeback, Lanier maintained his composure and controlled the tempo of the rallies.
With the finish line in sight, the Frenchman remained relentless, eventually sealing the decider 21-14 to complete an impressive comeback victory. The result capped a superb week for Lanier and confirmed his growing status among badminton’s brightest young talents, while Loh was left to reflect on a valiant run that came agonisingly short of ending Singapore’s 64-year wait for a home men’s singles champion.
–IANS
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