KUALA LUMPUR – Independent men’s singles shuttler Lee Zii Jia is pleased to have reached his first quarterfinals of the season, despite being knocked out from the India Open today.
Playing against world number six Kodai Naraoka, the 25-year-old got off to a good start by winning the first set.
But ultimately the world number 10 succumbed to a 13-21, 21-9, 21-16 defeat in an hour and 18 minutes to the Japanese player at the K.D. Jadhav Indoor Hall in New Delhi.
“I had a tough start last year, my first quarterfinal was the All England and I made it all the way to the semi-final.
“This is the second tournament of the season and I have already achieved my first quarter-final so that is a positive in the way of improvement for me,” Zii Jia told the BWF in a post-match interview.
Commenting on the match, the 2021 All England winner said impatience cost him the match.
“I played my best but I could not find the breakthrough against Naraoka.
“When playing against Naraoka you need to be more patient than him. In the second and especially in the third set when it got to 11 points I became impatient and that was the difference.
“Just a few points can determine the result of the game and there are a few crucial points where Naraoka got the better of me,” said Zii Jia.
Earlier, independent mixed doubles players Goh Soo Huat-Shevon Lai could not get the better of world number five pair Jiang Zhenbang-Wei Yaxin of China in their quarterfinal match.
They were swept aside in straight sets 21-13, 21-13 in just 31 minutes. – January 19, 2024