KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 23 – It was another first round disaster for Lee Zii Jia in Denpasar, Bali – this time in the Indonesia Open when the seventh seeded Malaysian crashed out in the first round in the Super 1000 event on Tuesday.
And for the second successive tournament, he fell to Denmark’s Rasmus Gemke who is ranked No 13.
In last week’s Indonesia Masters, he retired in the first game after trailing 11-9. In the Indonesia Open, which offers USD850,000 in prize money, Zii Jia fell in three games, 21-13, 23-25, 16-21 in 67 minutes.
It is all the more hurting for Zii Jia when he was leading 11-7 and then held match point at 20-19 but allowed the Dane to force the rubber with a 25-23 win.
“I must admit it’s my mistake. I lost focus and allowed the Dane to come back into the game. He played better to win the match,” said Zii Jia on his defeat.
Malaysia, however enjoyed wins in the men’s doubles and mixed doubles to stay alive. Malaysia will have a pair in the men’s doubles quarter-finals when Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik face Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi in the second round.
Tokyo Olympics bronze medalists Aaron Chia-Wooi Yik defeated Germany’s Mark Lamsfuss-Marvin Seidel 25-23, 21-12 in 41 minutes to advance.
Yeo Sin-Ee Yi stopped newly formed combination Ten Kian Meng-Tan Wee Kiong 21-11, 21-11.
Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani also cleared their first hurdle. Ranked No 9 Sze fei-Nur Izzuddin stopped the French pair of Christo Popov-Toma Junior Popov 22-20, 21-10 in 38 minutes.
The Malaysians, however, have a mountain to climb for a place in the quarter-final as their second round opponents are Tokyo Olympic champions Lee Yang-Wang Chi Lin of Chinese Taipei.
Earlier, Lee Yang-Wang Chi Lin defeated another Malaysian pair Goh V Shem-Low Juan Shen 21-14; 21-16.
In the women’s doubles, Pearly Tan-M.Thinaah also cleared the first round hurdles after a straight win over Clara Azurmendi-Beatriz Corrales of Spain. The young Malaysian pair won 21-19; 22-20.
In an all-Malaysian encounter in the mixed doubles Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing edged Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie 22-20, 21-17 to set up a second round clash against Indonesians Adnan Maulana-Mychelle Crhystine Bandaso.
Chen Tang Jie-Peck Yen Wei also advanced after a 63-minute battle against Japan’s Yuki Kaneko-Misaki Matsutomo – coming back from a one game deficit to prevail 19-21, 21-18, 21-15.
Professionals and fifth seeds Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying triumphed 21-12, 21-17 over Indonesia’s Zachariah Josiahno Sumanti-Hediana Julimarbela.
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