As much as his inconsistency is frustrating for fans to watch, no one is more hurt by Loh Kean Yew's inability to convert advantageous situations into wins than him.
After relinquishing considerable leads to lose 21-19, 21-16 to China's world No. 6 Li Shifeng in their men's singles quarter-final at the KFF Singapore Badminton Open on May 31, he cursed under his own breath before delivering a scathing assessment of his performance.
The 26-year-old, who thanked fans for their support and took home US$4,675 (S$6,300) in prize money, said: "I was not brave enough to execute the game plan and I restricted myself a lot.
"I was very confident at the start and playing very well. But as he caught up and I made some errors, the confidence level just kept dropping. After that, I just got scared.
"The plan was to be patient while taking the initiative at the right moments. I did that at the start and played quite well. But after that, I tried to take the initiative, but I wasn't patient. Then I was passive and didn't take the initiative... it was bad."
In front of 5,860 fans, which included Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong, at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, world No. 12 Loh got off to a roaring start.
Denne historien er fra June 01, 2024-utgaven av The Straits Times.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra June 01, 2024-utgaven av The Straits Times.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Under-16s need more exposure, says fraternity
There are valuable lessons to be learnt from the Singapore Under-16 football team's defeats at the recent Lion City Cup (LCC), said the community on Oct 8.
Kane given 'all-clear' for Nations League games
LONDON – Captain Harry Kane has been given the green light to remain with England for their upcoming Nations League fixtures on Oct 7, after the striker was examined by Football Association (FA) medical staff.
Historic Ohtani 50-50 ball remains in play as auction continues
LOS ANGELES – The owner of the ball that Shohei Ohtani hit for his historic 50th homer of 2024 remains in dispute, but the souvenir will continue to be auctioned off while legal proceedings continue.
DJOKOVIC STORMS PAST COBOLLI
Serb eases into Shanghai Masters last 16 after days of schedule disruption due to rain
France Rugby plans to impose strict discipline
PARIS - French Rugby Federation (FFR) president Florian Grill announced on Oct 7 an overhaul of the system of discipline in the France teams after a summer tour of Argentina was overshadowed by claims of attempted rape and racism.
CHAMPS GALORE AT SWIM WORLD CUP IN S'PORE
Star-studded cast includes Marchand, Pan, le Clos, McKeown, Zhang and Douglass
BOY XANDER LOOKING FRESH FOR THE TASK
Two-time Kranji winner returns after 29 months out, goes well in training on Oct 8
Turn down the K-pop and pay attention to K-healing
The rise of South Korean books about burnout has taken the world by storm.
How is it that Netanyahu is able to keep defying Biden?
The 'tail wagging the dog' situation is not simply about the power of the 'Israel Lobby'. Other factors in the patron-client relationship are in play too.
Most Asean fund managers avoiding new economy firms
Uncertainty over future returns, growth prospects among factors
