Badminton: Singapore's Loh Kean Yew upsets world number 6 Li, advances to Paris Olympics quarters

PARIS: Singapore's Loh Kean Yew moved one step closer to Olympic success after he upset China's world number six Li Shifeng on Thursday (Aug 1).

At the Porte de La Chapelle Arena, the world number 12 took the men's singles match 23-21, 21-15 to set up a tantalising quarter-final clash with Denmark's Viktor Axelsen.

Loh is the first Singaporean to reach the quarter-finals at the Olympics in two decades.

Men's singles player Ronald Susilo had previously reached the quarter-finals of the competition in 2004 before being eliminated.

Prior to the match, Loh had a 4-2 head-to-head record against Li, but the Chinese player had beaten Loh in their last two encounters.

Former world champion Loh made his Games debut at the last edition of the Olympics in Tokyo where he was eliminated in the group stage.

Compatriot Yeo Jia Min will also compete in the knockout stages later on Thursday. World number 20 Yeo won both of her group matches, and will face Japan's Aya Ohori.