Datuk Teh Kew San (郑求山) PJN AMN (26 January 1935 – 14 May 2026) was a Malaysian badminton player who won national and international titles from the late 1950s to the mid-1960s.
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | 26 January 1935 Colony of Penang, Straits Settlements, British Malaya | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 14 May 2026 (aged 91) Malaysia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Country | Malaysia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Badminton | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Handedness | Right | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Career
editAn "all-rounder" (player competitive in all three events: singles, doubles, and mixed doubles), his greatest successes came in men's doubles with Lim Say Hup. They won a number of major international tournaments on three continents, most notably the prestigious All-England title in 1959.[1] Kew San's singles titles included the Mexico City International in 1960 and the Asian Championship in 1962.[2] Known for his agility and deft racket work, he was a member of four consecutive Malayan/Malaysian Thomas Cup teams (1958, 1961, 1964, 1967), captaining the last which captured the world team title.[3]
Personal life and death
editTeh was born in Colony of Penang, Straits Settlements, Malaya on 26 January 1935.[4] He married his national mixed doubles partner, Ng Mei Ling and they had two children, a son (Thomas) and a daughter (Karen).[4]
On 14 May 2026, Teh died due to complications from a urinary tract infection. He was 91.[5]
Achievements
editAsian Games
editMen's singles
| Year | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | Istora Senayan, Jakarta, Indonesia |  Tan Joe Hock |
9–15, 3–15 |  Silver |
Mixed doubles
| Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1966 | Kittikachorn Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand |  Rosalind Singha Ang |
Eddy Choong Tan Gaik Bee |
18–13, 11–15, 15–5 |  Gold |
Asian Championships
editMen's singles
| Year | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | Stadium Negara, Kuala Lumpur, Federation of Malaya | Billy Ng |
7–15, 15–1, 15–10 | Gold |
Men's doubles
| Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | Stadium Negara, Kuala Lumpur, Federation of Malaya | Lim Say Hup |
Ng Boon Bee Tan Yee Khan |
9–15, 10–15 | Silver |
Southeast Asian Peninsular Games
edit
International tournaments
editMen's singles
| Year | Tournament | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1958 | Malaya Open |  Charoen Wattanasin |
9–15, 4–15 |  Runner-up |
| 1959 | Malaysia Open | Charoen Wattanasin |
11–15, 12–15 | Runner-up |
| 1960 | Mexico International |  Finn Kobberø |
15–7, 15–7 |  Winner |
| 1963 | Singapore Open | Yew Cheng Hoe |
11–15, 15–3, 15–1 | Winner |
Men's doubles
| Year | Tournament | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1957 | Malaya Open | Lim Say Hup |
Lai Fook Ying F.A.L. Gonzaga |
15–2, 15–5 | Winner |
| 1959 | All England | Lim Say Hup |
Henning Borch Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen |
15–12, 15–10 | Winner |
| 1959 | Canada Open | Lim Say Hup |
Thanoo Khadjadbhye Charoen Wattanasin |
10–15, 15–13, 15–13 | Winner |
| 1959 | US Open | Lim Say Hup |
 Joe Alston Wynn Rogers |
15–5, 15–3 | Winner |
| 1959 | Malaya Open | Lim Say Hup |
Eddy Choong Erland Kops |
15–11, 15–9 | Winner |
| 1960 | All England | Lim Say Hup |
Finn Kobberø Poul-Erik Nielsen |
17–14, 3–15, 1–15 | Runner-up |
| 1960 | Mexico International | Lim Say Hup |
Joe Alston Manuel Armendariz |
15–7, 15–4 | Winner |
| 1960 | Malaya Open | Lim Say Hup |
Tan King Gwan Njoo Kiem Bie |
6–15, 15–11, 15–6 | Winner |
| 1960 | Canada Open | Lim Say Hup |
Charoen Wattanasin Ferry Sonneville |
15–8, 15–8 | Winner |
| 1962 | Malaya Open | George Yap |
Ng Boon Bee Tan Yee Khan |
15–8, 15–4 | Winner |
| 1963 | Malaya Open | Lim Say Hup |
Ng Boon Bee Tan Yee Khan |
17–14, 9–15, 7–15 | Runner-up |
| 1963 | Singapore Open | George Yap |
Ng Boon Bee Tan Yee Khan |
11–15, 17–15, 6–15 | Runner-up |
| 1964 | Malaysia Open | Lim Say Hup |
Ng Boon Bee Tan Yee Khan |
7–15, 7–15 | Runner-up |
| 1966 | Penang Open | Yew Cheng Hoe |
Ang Tjin Siang Rudy Nio |
15–0, 15–0 | Winner |
Mixed doubles
| Year | Tournament | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | Malaya Open | Ng Mei Ling |
Ng Boon Bee Tan Gaik Bee |
15–11, 15–12 | Winner |
| 1965 | Malaysia Open | Ng Mei Ling |
Eddy Choong Rosalind Singha Ang |
15–10, 15–7 | Winner |
| 1968 | Malaysia Open | Ng Mei Ling |
Svend Andersen Eva Twedberg |
17–18, 13–15 | Runner-up |
Invitational Tournaments
editMen's singles
| Year | Tournament | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1959 | World Invitational Championships | Charoen Wattanasin |
1–15, 7–15 | Silver |
Men's doubles
| Year | Tournament | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1959 | World Invitational Championships | Lim Say Hup |
Berndt Dahlberg Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen |
15–13, 18–15 | Gold |
Honours
edit- Member of the Order of the Defender of the Realm (AMN) (1968).[6]
- Commander of the Order of Meritorious Service (PJN) – Datuk (2023).[7]
References
edit- ↑ Pat Davis, The Guinness Book of Badminton (Enfield, Middlesex, England: Guinness Superlatives Ltd. 1983) 107.
- ↑ Herbert Scheele ed. The International Badminton Federation Handbook for 1967 (Canterbury, Kent, England: J. A. Jennings Ltd. 1967) 232, 309.
- ↑ Pat Davis, The Guinness Book of Badminton (Enfield, Middlesex, England: Guinness Superlatives Ltd. 1983) 123, 124.
- 1 2 "Legend Teh Kew San 'I can't stop playing badminton' turns 87". Free Malaysia Today. 29 January 2022.
- ↑ "Former Malaysian Thomas Cup captain Kew San dies at 91". buletinmutiara.com. 14 May 2026.
- ↑ "Semakan Penerima Darjah Kebesaran, Bintang dan Pingat".
- ↑ "Thomas Cup 1967 winners honoured with 'Panglima Jasa Negara' award carrying 'Datuk' title". Malay Mail. 5 June 2023. Retrieved 5 June 2023 – via The Borneo Post.