It’s no walk in the park: Lee Zii Jia is set to face a stern test in the first round against Japan’s world No. 6 Kodai Naraoka. — AFP
PETALING JAYA: Shuttler Lee Zii Jia sparred with India’s women’s singles player P.V. Sindhu ahead of his All-England opening match today.
The Badminton World Federation (BWF) released a video of the independent men’s singles player training with the 2019 world champion during a practice session at the Utilita Arena in Birmingham.
World No. 10 Zii Jia, who captured the title in 2021, is set to face a stern test in the first round against Japan’s world No. 6 Kodai Naraoka.
Despite the tough challenge ahead, the former will be out to continue his good record in the prestigious competition.
Zii Jia has never failed to reach at least the semi-finals since making his debut in the tournament in 2020.
The 25-year-old, though, will need to raise his game to maintain his impressive record in this edition after suffering a shock defeat at the hands of Denmark’s world No. 33 Magnus Johannesen in the French Open last week.
Sparring with Sindhu could just be the right tonic for Zii Jia as he bids to shine again in Birmingham.
Zii Jia is Malaysia’s sole hope in the men’s singles as world No. 16 Ng Tze Yong is still recovering from back surgery.
Meanwhile, Goh Jin Wei, who is also the country’s only representative in the women’s singles, faces an uphill battle against China’s world No. 6 He Bingjiao in the first round.
As for Sindhu, she will be out to build on her encouraging showing in the French tourney where she made it into the last eight before going down fighting 24-22, 17-21, 18-21 to China’s reigning world champion Chen Yufei.
The Indian, who was making her first appearance in an individual competition since her return from a knee injury, showed glimpses of her old form in Paris.
World No. 11 Sindhu will play Germany’s Yvonne Li in the opening round before a likely meeting with South Korea’s newly crowned French Open champion An Se-young in the second round.
