Much was expected from Lee Zii Jia after he reached the semi-finals in the Malaysia Masters but his inconsistency once again stood out like a sore thumb when he crashed out in the first round in the Daihatsu Indonesia Masters in Jakarta on Wednesday.
Zii Jia had a strong start against China’s Huang Yu Xiang, taking the first game 21-17. However, he failed to ride on the momentum and lost the second at 21-23 and 12-21 in the decider in 62 minutes.
With his defeat, Malaysia will have no representative in the men’s singles after independent player Liew Daren failed to get past the qualifying rounds on Tuesday.
Zii Jia had a good run in the Malaysia Masters – defeating big names like Anders Antonsen of Denmark and China’s Shi Yuqi before falling to eventual champion Kento Momota of Japan in the semi-finals.
While Zii Jia fell by the wayside Malaysia’s men’s doubles Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik, Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani, and professionals Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong and Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi advanced to the second round.
Yew Sin-Ee Yi, dropped by the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) earlier this month but did well to reach the quarter-final before losing to Koreans Kim Gi Jung-Lee Yong Dae, made the second round with a 21-18, 21-17 win over China’s Han Cheng Kai-Zhou Hao Dong in 31 minutes.
They will battle German qualifiers Jones Ralfy Jansen-Peter Kaesbuer for a place in the quarte-finals.
Aaron-Wooi Yik put their disappointing outing in the Malaysia Masters overcame homesters Wahyu Nayaka Arya Pangkaryanira-Ade Yusuf Santoso 21-17, 22-20 to earn a second-round clash against Denmark veterans Mathias Boe-Mads Conrad Petersen.
Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin had to go through the distance before prevailing 21-15, 18-21, 21-16 against Russia’s hard-hitting Vladimir Ivanov-Ivan Sozonov. China’s Di Zi Jian-Wang Chang promoted from the qualifying rounds, are their next opponents.
V Shem-Wee Kiong cleared the first round after a tough 21-18, 21-17 victory over Liao Min Chun-Su Ching Heng of Chinese Taipei and another pair from the same country Lee Yang-Wang Chi-Lin next.
It was the exit for women’s doubles Vivian Hoo-Yap Cheng Wen after picking up a 12-21, 16-21 defeat at the hands of Chinese top seeds Chen Qingchen-Jia Yifah in a 35-minute match. RIZAL ABDULLAH
