Quick reflexes: Lee Zii Jia returning a shot to Indonesia’s Jonatan Christie in the opening match. — Badminton Photo
PETALING JAYA: Shuttler Lee Zii Jia admits he still has the desire to become the first Malaysian to win the men’s singles title after getting off to a solid start in the World Championships.
But he doesn’t want to speak too soon.
Yesterday, Zii Jia gave an assured performance to dispatch fifth seed Jonatan Christie of Indonesia 21-13, 21-15 in the opening match at the Royal Arena in Copenhagen.
Although Jonatan took a 4-0 lead in the first game of the 39-minute clash, Zii Jia turned it around quickly to secure his fourth win in eight matches against the Indonesian.
Zii Jia once again opened up about his desire on winning the world title as Malaysia’s only success at the major event was through the men’s doubles pair of Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik in Tokyo last year.
However, the world No. 13 also remained guarded as he has yet to become a solid performer under the guidance of his coach Wong Tat Meng, who only started training the Alor Setar-born shuttler last month.
“Our first title came from the doubles players and none of us (singles) have won it. Many have been talking about who will win the first one,” said Zii Jia after the match.
“Of course, I want it (the title) so much but I need to calm down and take one match at a time first.
“There has been a lot of ups and downs for me. I know it is easy to say but tough when you are going through this.
Zii Jia had been facing a confidence crisis following a string of early round defeats this year and his win yesterday also comes in the wake of the recent apparel issue where it led him to abandoning the plan to train at Academy Badminton Malaysia (BAM). “I don’t know how long this process will take but I will go on as this is the way to achieve success.
“I told myself that no matter how many points that Jonatan leads, I will just keep going.
“This (win) helps a lot to boost up my confidence. This is what I needed.”
Zii Jia will meet Brian Yang of Canada in the second round tomorrow.
Yang had lead 11-3 in the first game against Kai Schaffer before the German shuttler conceded a walkover due to injury.
FIRST ROUND RESULTS
(Malaysians unless stated)
Men’s singles: Loh Kean Yew (Sin) bt Pablo Abian (Spa) 21-12, 21-9; Adi Reski Dwicahayo (Azb) bt Justin Ma (US) 21-14, 21-17; Chou Tien-chen (Tpe) bt Kevin Cordon (Gua) 21-16, 21-9; H.S. Prannoy (Ind) bt Kalle Koljonen (Fin) 24-22, 21-10; Howard Shu (US) bt Anouluwapo Opeyori (Ngr) 21-18, 13-21, 21-19; Kunlavut Vitidsarn (Tha) bt Jonathan Matias (Bra) 21-16, 21-14; Lakshya Sen (Ind) bt Julien Paul (Mri) 21-12, 21-7; Lee Zii Jia bt Jonatan Christie (Ina) 21-13, 21-15; Pedro Yang (Can) bt Kai Schaffer (Ger) 11-3 rtd; Li Shifeng (Chn) bt Dimitriy Panarin (Kaz) 21-10, 21-8.
Women’s singles: Goh Jin Wei bt Vivien Sandorhozi (Hun) 21-18, 21-15; Kirsty Gilmour (Sco) bt Lianne Tan (Bel) 22-20, 9-21, 21-12; Nozomi Okuhara (Jpn) bt Nguyen Thuy Linh (Vie) 21-15, 21-12; Putri Kusuma Wardani (Ina) bt Polina Buhrova (Ukr) 21-7, 23-21; Yvonne Li (Ger) bt Leonice Huet (Fra) 21-13, 21-12; Yeo Jia Min (Sin) w.o. Qi Xuefei (Fra); Pai Yu-po (Tpe) bt S. Kisona 20-22, 21-19, 21-13.
Women’s doubles: Chang Ching-hui-Yang Ching-tun (Tpe) bt Kati-Kreet Marran-Helina Ruutel (Est) 21-14, 21-11; Lee Chia-hsin-Teng Chun-hsun (Tpe) bt Maria Stoliarenko-Yelyzaveta Zharka (Ukr) 23-21, 21-11; Srena Au Yong-Katharina Hochmeir (Aut) bt Amy Ackerman-Deidre Laurens (Jam) 21-1213-21, 24-22. Mixed doubles: Adam Hall-Julie Macpherson (Sco) bt Rohan Kapoor-Sikky Reddy (Ind) 21-14, 20-22, 21-18; mark Lamsfuss-Isabel Lohau (Ger) bt Ties van der Lecq-Debora Jille (Ned) 21-17, 12-21, 21-18; Dejan Ferdinansyah-Gloria Emanuelle (Ina) bt Yuki Kaneko-Misaki Matsutomo (Jpn) 21-14, 21-12; Vinson Chiu-Jennie Gai (US) bt Fabricio Farias-Jacqueline Lima (Bra) 21-16, 21-10; Gregory Mairs-Jenny Mairs (Eng) bt Mihajlo Tomic-Anjela Vitman (Srb) 21-13, 21-14; Yang Po-hsuan-Hu Ling-fang (Tpe) bt Nyl Yakura-Crystal Lai (Can) 21-10, 19-21, 21-17; Misha Zilberman-Svetlana Zilberman (Isr) bt Adham Hatem-Doha Hany (Egy) 21-17, 21-16.
