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[UPDATED] Malaysia Open: home hope Zii Jia fails to spark in sorry first-round exit | Scoop
Lee Zii Jia has disappointed the home fans at the Axiata Arena after being dumped out in the first round of the Malaysia Open. – Abdul Razak Latif/Scoop pic, January 9, 2024
Sports

[UPDATED] Malaysia Open: home hope Zii Jia fails to spark in sorry first-round exit

China’s Lu Guangzu sends Malaysian packing in straight sets

Main Author Image
Faizal Salim
Updated
8:22 PM MYT

 

KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia’s favourite men’s singles shuttler Lee Zii Jia was sent packing in the first round of the Malaysia Open today.

Lu Guangzu of China defeated the world number 11 in three sets 16-21, 21-19, 21-15 at the Axiata Arena in Bukit Jalil.

The 25-year-old credited his opponent’s defensive play as the main reason he was bested during the game.

“Overall, something positive that I can say is that in the first and second sets, I played quite well but it is just in the rubber set where everything went downhill for me. 

“Guangzu’s defence was really strong, especially in the rubber set. I also was impatient and made some mistakes. 

“That is something that I can work on,” said Zii Jia, who will next play at the India Open and Indonesia Masters.

Zii Jia has credited the defensive play of his opponent, China’s Lu Guangzu, for his first-round exit. – Abdul Razak Latif/Scoop pic, January 9, 2024

This is Zii Jia’s fourth straight early exit at the home open having lost in the first round in 2019, 2023 and departing in the second round in 2022.

He admitted to growing weary of exiting the tournament early and having to give the same excuses to the media and public.

“Some days I will win, some days I will lose, I myself hate having to say the same things like ‘try again’ and ‘come back stronger’. I am tired of having to say the same things over and over again.

“But I will never give up, I will show up for training and complete the programme my coach has set up for me.

“Maybe I won’t be able to find that special factor for success until I retire but I won’t stop trying.

“I don’t know when I will be able to stand here as a confident champion but stay patient, this is a process,” added the former All England winner.

Teo Ee Yi jumps for a smash as his partner Ong Yew Sin looks on in their first-round match. – Abdul Razak Latif/Scoop pic, January 9, 2024

On the other hand, staying calm was key to victory for independent men’s doubles pair Ong Yew Sin and Teo Ee Yi after sending Chinese Taipei pair Lu Ching-yao and Yang Po-han packing.

The world number 12 pair needed only 41 minutes to win their match in straight sets 21-14, 21-15.

According to Yew Sin, he and Ee Yi stayed composed even though their opponents led early in the second set.

“We didn’t overthink on the court and focused on winning one point after the other as we planned.

“Our opponents wanted to win and we knew we needed to stay composed to emerge victorious,” said Yew Sin. 

The duo will next meet Denmark’s fourth-seeded Kim Astrup-Anders Rasmussen in the second round on Thursday. – January 9, 2024

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