Malaysia Open: 'cool' Kunlavut ousts former world champion Kean Yew

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 13 (Bernama) -- World number nine Kunlavut Vitidsarn of Thailand stunned former world champion Loh Kean Yew in the Malaysia Open badminton championship Friday and attributed his victory to playing without any pressure. Despite playing against the more experienced and world number six Singaporean, Kunlavut, 21, showed great composure to win 21-11, 20-22, 21-14 in 80 minutes in the quarter-final match. “Kean Yew played very well today, so fast and good at attacking, but I also did play equally well. “I don’t have pressure when meeting top players, so I can control my game. That is the reason I could defeat him,” said the three-time former world junior champion. The win also helped Kunlavut extend his winning record against Kean Yew to 3-1, with his only loss being during their first encounter in the 2015 Thailand International Challenge. In the semi-finals tomorrow, Kunlavut will play the winner of the match between Kodai Naraoka of Japan and HS Prannoy of India. -- BERNAMA