KUALA LUMPUR, May 25 — National men’s singles professional shuttler Lee Zii Jia smashed his way to the second round of the Malaysia Masters 2023 here yesterday.
In the opening round match held in Axiata Arena, home crowd favourite Zii Jia ousted Lu Guang Zu of China 21-12, 21-19 in 45 minutes.
Zii Jia, seeded fourth, will next take on Taiwan’s Lin Chun-Yi, who upset reigning champion Chico Aura Dwi Wardoyo of Indonesia 13-21, 21-16, 21-8.
The world number 10 Zii Jia said he was glad to survive a scare in the second game when the Chinese took a seven-point lead at 18-11, before the Malaysian regained his composure to confirm his second round ticket.
“To be honest I was ready for rubber game when trailing 11-18 but was still patient and tried to capitalise on the chances available,” he told reporters after the match.
The 25-year-old player admitted that his good run in the Sudirman Cup 2023 last week, where he won all his five matches, had boosted his confidence in this tournament.
Meanwhile, 2022 Commonwealth Games men’s singles silver medallist Ng Tze Yong squandered a first-game win against Japan’s world number 13 Kenta Nishimoto and succumbed to a 21-17, 16-21, 13-21 loss.
“I scored many points in the first set because Nishimoto made many mistakes but it was not easy after that, especially in the rubber game, as he was faster than me,’’ said Tze Yong.
After losing to Thailand’s Supak Jomkoh-Supissara Paewsampran 20-22, 20-22 in the mixed doubles with his partner Lai Pei Jing earlier yesterday, Tan Kian Meng suffered another first round exit, this time in men’s doubles with Tan Wee Kiong.
Despite taking the first game 23-21, Kian Meng-Wee Kiong ran out of steam in the next two, losing 14-21, 16-21 to Scottish pair Alexander Dunn-Adam Hall.
Zii Jia will join four other Malaysian representatives in the second round today, comprising three men’s doubles pairs, Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik, Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi and Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun, as well as national top women’s doubles duo Pearly Tan-M.Thinaah.
— Bernama
