Singapore's Loh Kean Yew snaps losing streak against world number 2 Kunlavut, through to India Open semis

SINGAPORE: Loh Kean Yew on Friday (Jan 16) registered his first victory over Thailand's Kunlavut Vitidsarn since 2015 to march on to the India Open semi-finals.

At the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, the Singaporean eighth seed kept his composure and dug deep to beat the world number two 14-21, 21-15, 21-17 in a 70-minute thriller.

The world number 10's last victory against Kunlavut came at the 2015 Thailand International Challenge. 

Loh will next face another bogeyman in the form of Indonesia's Jonatan Christie on Saturday. Loh has a 0-8 head-to-head record against the world number four.

The Singaporean has had to overcome not just opponents on the court but feathered foes at the tournament.

His round-of-16 clash against HS Prannoy on Thursday was disrupted twice due to bird droppings landing on the court.

Despite losing the first game, Loh took the match 18-21, 21-19, 21-14.

Various players have slammed conditions at the tournament, with Denmark's Anders Antonsen pulling out of the event due to "extreme pollution" in Delhi.