94Ha Viewpoint
Singapore badminton women’s singles No. 1 Yeo Jia Min defeated the sixth seed Vietnamese player Nguyen Thuy Linh in the final of the German Open (Super 300) on Sunday (March 2) Singapore time, becoming the BWF Super Series champion again after six years.
Yeo Jia Min resisted Nguyen Thuy Linh’s offensive in the middle of the first game and won the first game 21-16. In the second game, Nguyen Thuy Linh made frequent return errors, and Yeo Jia Min did not show any mercy, winning two consecutive games 21-17 and winning her first championship in 2025.
After the game, Yang Jiamin told Lianhe Zaobao: “Winning this championship means a lot to me. The coach and I set this goal at the beginning of the year. Now we have finally made a breakthrough, and I am very happy.”
This is the third time that Yang Jiamin and Ruan Chui Ling have played against each other. Yang Jiamin has remained undefeated. She revealed: “After several encounters, we know each other’s playing style very well, so I try to keep putting enough pressure on my opponent through speed and hitting.”
Yang Jiamin’s last championship was the Hyderabad Open (Super 100) in 2019. This time it was her first time to win the Super 300 level championship, which is also the highest level championship in her career.
Talking about the badminton team’s singles head coach Jin Zhixuan, Yang Jiamin shared that the two are adapting to each other and getting stronger together. “Coach Kim Ji-hyun has been helping me prepare tactically and mentally before each game. In the process, she has also made adjustments to help me improve. These changes may not be effective immediately because it takes a process, but we are working towards our goal.”
As the top female singles player in this tournament, Yang Jiamin first eliminated Danish female player Amalie Schulz in the round of 16, and defeated 19-year-old Japanese player Akie Haruna in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, she narrowly defeated the fourth seed, Amalie’s compatriot Mia Blichfeldt, and entered the final.
Loh Kean Yew suffered seven consecutive defeats against Axelsen
Loh Kean Yew, the “number one” in men’s singles badminton in my country, lost to Danish star and friend Axelsen 19-21, 18-21 in the men’s singles final, losing to Axelsen for the seventh consecutive time and finishing second.
This is Loh Kean Yew’s second final since winning the Spanish Masters (Super 300) in March last year. This is also the 13th time he has met Axelsen, and his current record is 2 wins and 11 losses.
Loh Kean Yew defeated Japanese player Koji Takahashi in the semi-finals to advance to the final. He defeated his “junior” Zheng Jiaheng in the rematch and defeated his childhood doubles partner and Penang fellow Zhan Junwei in the round of 16 to advance.
Badminton Association of Singapore President Liao Zhenxing said: “When two Singaporeans reach the singles final of the BWF Super 300 tournament at the same time, it is a moment worth celebrating. It coincides with our celebration of SG60, which is only possible because of the dedication and hard work of the Singapore team, including parents, coaches, players and administrators over decades. Jiamin’s victory today makes the moment even better.”
