Monday, 4 Nov 2024

News | BWF Thomas & Uber Cup Finals

In this interview, Kelvin Ho, the national singles coach of Singapore, shares insights on the challenges faced by world champion Loh Kean Yew, their strategies to overcome them, and the impact of his victory at the World Championships. Let’s dive into the details.

Kean Yew’s Mindset During Tournaments

Kelvin Ho allows Kean Yew to be in his own zone after matches. They usually share meals and free time together, discussing the next match and analyzing the previous one. They focus on areas such as shot quality and key points that contributed to winning or losing. This approach helps Kean Yew maintain his concentration and stay focused during tournaments.

Loh Kean Yew during his winning campaign at the World Championships 2021

Kean Yew’s Transformation at the World Championships

Kean Yew’s motivation was at its peak during the World Championships because he had recently played against many top players. As Singapore doesn’t offer the same level of quality sparring, he was determined to give his best and emerged victorious.

Did he surprise you with his performance in Huelva? Yes, he did. Kean Yew faced mental barriers during a match against Chou Tien Chen in Bali, which restricted his attacking game. However, he overcame these barriers and adapted quickly to play with intensity and consistency at the World Championships.

Tham Khảo Thêm:  BWF News

Managing Pressure and Expectations

Although Kean Yew has achieved a remarkable feat, there will still be pressure on him. However, compared to players like Viktor Axelsen, Kento Momota, and the Indonesian players, he is considered the underdog. Kelvin Ho believes there is still a lot to learn from these top players, and Kean Yew maintains the mindset of starting from scratch after every match to continuously improve.

Kelvin Ho and Loh Kean Yew

Evolving Kean Yew’s Playing Style

Kean Yew’s playing style is distinctive and has garnered attention. Kelvin Ho believes that altering his style would be like taking away his weapon. However, they are focusing on developing other areas of his game to make it more well-rounded. They aim to enhance his versatility so that he can apply different strategies against different opponents and maintain a competitive edge.

The Future of Kean Yew’s Performance

Moving forward, Kelvin Ho expects to see the same intensity and concentration from Kean Yew that he demonstrated during the World Championships. Additionally, he hopes to witness Kean Yew’s growth in applying different styles and strategies, making it challenging for his opponents to anticipate his moves.

Partnership and Personal Implications

Since Kean Yew’s World Championships win, the partnership between Kelvin Ho and Kean Yew remains unchanged. Their focus is on supporting Kean Yew’s training and ensuring he can give his best performance. They aim to continue working on his game to further improve and enhance his skills.

Kean Yew at his attacking best

Growing Interest in Badminton in Singapore

Kean Yew’s success has significantly increased the interest in badminton among local kids in Singapore. More and more young players are drawn to the sport, inspired by Kean Yew’s achievements.

Tham Khảo Thêm:  Denmark's Viktor Axelsen Claims Olympic Gold in Badminton Men's Singles

Personal Satisfaction and Future Plans

Kelvin Ho expresses immense happiness and satisfaction with Kean Yew’s World Championships win. He never anticipated such a significant victory. The experience of witnessing world-class players has motivated him to pass down his knowledge and inspire other players in Singapore to strive for success. Kelvin Ho aims to share his international tournament experiences with the team and help build a stronger Singaporean badminton team that can compete at the international level.

Catch the Singapore team in action as they compete against Indonesia, Korea, and Thailand in the Thomas Cup Group A at the TotalEnergies BWF Thomas and Uber Cup Finals 2022 in Bangkok from May 8th to 15th.

FAQs

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Conclusion

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