Potential party pooper: Lee Zii Jia has a tricky opening match against world No. 27 Frenchman Christo Popov at the Arctic Open in Finland today. — AFP
PETALING JAYA: Men’s singles shuttler Lee Zii Jia faces a tough task to defend his title in the Arctic Open starting today.
Zii Jia, who is hoping to rediscover the form that saw him capture bronze in the Paris Olympics, has been placed in the top half of the draw along with Denmark’s world No. 3 Anders Antonsen, Indonesia’s world No. 9 Anthony Ginting and Taiwan’s world No. 10 Chou Tien-chen.
The 26-year-old has a tricky opening match against world No. 27 Frenchman Christo Popov today.
Based on the head-to-head records, Zii Jia holds a slight advantage after beating Popov in their sole previous encounter in the 2022 German Open.
If Zii Jia manages to beat Popov again, he will likely face China’s rising player and world No. 22 Lei Lanxi in the second round.
Anthony, another Chinese player Lu Guangzu or Japan’s Koki Watanabe could await the Malaysian in the last eight if he clears his opening two hurdles.
Last year, world No. 4 Zii Jia beat fellow Malaysian Ng Tze Yong in the Arctic Open final.
Meanwhile, another Malaysian representative in the men’s singles Leong Jun Hao will also open his campaign against Hong Kong’s Lee Cheuk Yiu today.
World No. 29 Jun Hao is out to do better after narrowly losing in three games to world No. 16 Cheuk Yiu in the second round of the Hong Kong Open last month despite leading in the third game.
“It was a tough match for me (against Cheuk Yiu) and I was leading in the decider but could not hold on to win,” said Jun Hao.
“I have analysed where I went wrong and I hope to do better this time.”
In the men’s doubles, Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik are set to make their comeback in the tournament after they were sidelined since winning bronze in the Paris Games due to the latter’s toe injury.
World No. 4 Aaron-Wooi Yik will play China’s world No. 21 Chen Boyang-Liu Yi in the first round.
The other Malaysian men’s doubles pairs in the fray are China Open champions Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani, Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun, Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi and Yap Roy King-Wan Arif Wan Junaidi.
Meanwhile, Hong Kong Open winners Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah will be Malaysia’s sole representatives in the women’s doubles.
