SINGAPORE – Rising teen talent Yeo Jia Min’s hopes of advancing in the OUE Singapore Open 2017 women’s singles ended on Wednesday afternoon (April 12) after she was beaten in the first round by South Korea’s Kim Hyo Min.

The 18-year-old, ranked 73rd in the world, succumbed 21-15, 21-17 to her world no. 37 opponent in their 46-minute clash at the Singapore Indoor Stadium. It was the first ever meeting between the pair.

Yeo, who is the world junior no. 2, had made it to the main draw for the first time after winning both her qualification matches on Tuesday (April 11).

Although she had the flu and then came down with a fever on Sunday, the shuttler, who had skipped the Singapore team’s pre-tournament press conference on Monday to see the doctor, insisted she had recovered sufficiently by Wednesday, and instead blamed her inability to control the match for her defeat.

“Overall, I couldn’t control her as well as my previous matches and I took a bit too long to adjust to the side draft,” she said. “My racquet control wasn’t as good as hers and she was steadier in this match; I was (also) a bit too defensive and (perhaps I) should have been more daring to attack.”

Yeo showed plenty of heart, particularly in the second set when she clawed back a four-point gap at one point, but crucially misjudged a return from Kim at 17-19 down, which took the latter to match-point.

She pointed to that as an example she needs to learn from as she looked back at her Singapore Open experience.

“My (game) experience on court during different points and different parts of the game needs to improve, such as how I control the opponent,” she said.

“I also need to be (more) consistent in every match.”

Yeo’s elimination means that the Republic will have no more representatives in the women’s singles. Grace Chua did not make it past the qualifying rounds while top-ranked shuttler Liang Xiaoyu had withdrawn because of injury.

Yeo’s other team-mates in action later also did not have much luck, as all were dumped out in the first round.

Women’s doubles pair Citra Putri Sari Dewi and Jin Yujia were overpowered by Taiwanese pair Lin Xiao Min and Chien Wu Fang 21-9, 21-12, while Terry Hee and Loh Kean Hean followed suit after a thrilling 21-23, 21-13, 19-21 defeat to Indonesians Luki Apri Nugroho and Tedi Supriadi in the men’s doubles.

The final duo in action, Danny Bawa Chrisnanta and Hendra Wijaya, were no match for Thais Bodin Isara and Nipitphon Phuangphuapet in the men’s doubles as well.

This leaves world no. 15 mixed doubles pair Hee and Tan Wei Han as the sole Singaporean players flying the flag. They are slated to take on All-England champions Lu Kai and Huang Yaqiong on Thursday (Apr 13).

The tournament also lost both of its defending champions yesterday.

Thailand’s world No. 7 Ratchanok Intatnon crashed out in the first round of the women’s singles to Japan’s Sayaka Sato, ranked 12 places below her. The 2013 world champion was on the wrong end of a 21-8, 21-18 defeat.

Indonesia’s Sony Dwi Kuncoro, the defending men’s champion, won his first set 21-19 against South Korea’s Lee Dong Keun but lost the next two sets 15-21 and 18-21.