Kunlavut, Kean Yew crash tradition with blockbuster Asiad men's singles final

KUALA LUMPUR: Former world champion Kunlavut Vitidsarn advanced to the men's singles final at the Asian Games after defeating Indonesian world No. 10 Alwi Farhan 21-13, 21-15 in a 49-minute semi-final at the Ichinomiya City Municipal Gymnasium. The 2023 world champion and 2024 Paris Olympics silver medalist will seek his country's first men's singles gold at the Games when he faces world No. 13 Kean Yew of Singapore in the final tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Kean Yew triumphed over South Korea's Yoo Tae Bin 21-19, 19-21, 21-12 in their semi-final, marking his second major final appearance. This match denotes the first time neither China nor Indonesia will be represented in the men's singles final at the Asian Games, a significant blow for China, as they have not produced a men's singles medallist in the Games.

In women's singles, world No. 1 An Se Young overcame China's world No. 4 Chen Yu Fei 21-11, 21-14 to reach the final, with the defending champion set to meet Japan's Akane Yamaguchi for the gold. In men's doubles, South Korea's Kim Won Ho-Seo and Seung Jae were upset by Indonesia's Leo Rolly Carnando-Daniel Marthin, while in women's doubles, Pearly Tan-M.

Thinaah from Malaysia lost to China's Liu Sheng Shu-Tan Ning and will compete for bronze. In mixed doubles, Indonesia's Amri Syahnawi-Nita Violina Marwah, coached by former Malaysian mixed doubles chief Nova Widianto, defeated China's Feng Yan Zhe-Huang Dong Ping to reach the final, where they will face China's Jiang Zhen Bang-Wei Ya Xin.