Loh Kean Yew was clearly in his element during his clash with Naraoka Kodai. Competing in Odense this Tuesday, the Singaporean clinched a straight-sets win in the opening round of the 2024 Denmark Open. This victory further cements his dominance over Japan's world no. 5, bringing their head-to-head record to a perfect 5-0. Despite entering the tournament unseeded, Loh showed why he is Naraoka's kryptonite. The first game was a nail-biter, with neither player gaining more than a two-point advantage until the score hit 17-17. However, Loh suddenly surged ahead with four straight points to seal the opening set.
The second game initially looked like it was slipping away from Loh. Naraoka seemed to have found his rhythm and comfortably held a six-point lead at 13-7. But Loh refused to back down, fighting his way back into the match with sheer determination. It was a frustrating turn of events for Naraoka, who likely wondered how he let the 26-year-old Singaporean claw back into the contest.
Though Naraoka managed to save two match points, Loh's superior play eventually wore him down. After a grueling battle, Loh emerged victorious with a final score of 21-17, 22-20. It's a tough pill to swallow for the Japanese player, who has now lost five consecutive meetings against a man who has become a true nightmare for him on court. Loh now moves forward to face Hong Kong's Lee Cheuk Yiu.
Elsewhere in the men's singles, the top seed Viktor Axelsen made short work of Japan's Tanaka Yushi, dominating the match 21-13, 21-13 in just 40 minutes. On a sadder note, Malaysia's Lee Zii Jia, the third seed, had to pull out of the tournament late Monday night due to an injury sustained last week.
Meanwhile, it was a disappointing start for India's Lakshya Sen, whose Denmark Open journey ended abruptly after a first-round loss to China's Lu Guangzu on Tuesday. Sen actually started strong, cruising to a 21-12 win in the first set. With sharp smashes and an aggressive approach, he had Lu pinned back and seemed destined for a quick victory.
That dominance carried over into the second game, where Sen built a healthy 16-11 lead. However, Lu displayed incredible resilience, fighting back from the brink to snatch the second game 21-19. This shift in momentum proved fatal for Sen, who struggled to find his footing in the deciding third game as Lu played with newfound confidence and tactical precision.
Despite his best efforts, Sen couldn't stop Lu's momentum, eventually falling 21-14 in the final set. It was a heartbreaking exit after such a promising start. This loss adds to a difficult run for Sen, following a poor showing at the Arctic Open where he was knocked out in the pre-quarterfinals by Chou Tien Chen.
India's PV Sindhu, a two-time Olympic medalist, cruised into the next round after her opponent, Pai Yu Po of Chinese Taipei, retired during the second game. Sindhu was firmly in control at the time, leading 21-8, 13-7. However, it wasn't all good news for India, as Malvika Bansod—who recently reached the China Open quarterfinals—fell in the first round to Vietnam's Nguyen Thuy Linh in straight sets, 13-21, 12-21.
Aakarshi Kashyap also suffered an early exit, losing 13-21, 12-21 to the seventh seed, Supanida Katethong of Thailand. The Panda sisters, Rutaparna and Swetaparna, were also sent packing in the opening round of the women's doubles, losing a tight match 18-21, 22-24 to Chinese Taipei's Chang Ching Hui and Yang Ching Tun.