Chou Tien-chen Eliminated in First Round of Singapore Open by Kodai Naraoka

The BWF Super 750 Singapore Open kicked off today. Taiwan's top player, Chou Tien-chen, faced Japan's Kodai Naraoka in a 54-minute match, ultimately losing 19-21, 16-21. Despite a 5-1 head-to-head record, Chou has now lost two consecutive matches against Naraoka. In the first set, Chou trailed 5-10 but fought back to 12-12, only to lose due to late errors. In the second set, he fell behind 1-6, managed to tie at 6-6, but Naraoka's defensive style eventually overwhelmed him. This marks Chou's fourth first-round exit this season. He will compete in the Indonesia Open next week. Meanwhile, fellow Taiwanese player Lee Chia-hao defeated Malaysia's Leong Jun Hao to advance to the round of 16.