IT'S TEAM FIRST FOR LOH

Singles boost with no Kunlavut, but S'porean focused on team event for now

- David Lee Senior Sports Correspondent Deepanraj Ganesan

Loh Kean Yew giving the Singapore men's team a winning start by beating Xayyalaith Souksavat 21-8, 21-11 in their 3-0 victory over Laos in the quarter-finals on Dec 7. They will face Indonesia next in the last four on Dec 8.

(ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO)

On a day when Team Singapore assured themselves of their first medals – at least two bronzes from the men and women's badminton team events - they are dreaming of something more elusive.

Loh Kean Yew's hopes of winning Singapore's first SEA Games badminton men's singles gold in 42 years received a boost when it was revealed that home favourite Kunlavut Vitidsarn will play in only the men's team event.

On Dec 7, Southeast Asia's topranked player and world No. 3 Kunlavut told The Straits Times he did not have much time to train as he had gone for wisdom tooth surgery just before the Games.

He also has one eye on the US$3 million (S$3.89 million) Badminton World Federation World Tour Finals that will take place in Hangzhou, China from Dec 17 to 21.

The 24-year-old, who leads Loh 8-1 in their head-to-head record and is unbeaten in seven matches against Singapore's 21st-ranked Jason Teh, said: "I didn't have time to train and get back to a good phys ical condition to play so many events."