KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 16 – Lee Zii Jia once again showed his inconsistency but survived to make the men’s singles quarter-finals at the BWF World Championships in Huelva, Spain but faces another tough Dane hurdle for a place in the semi-finals.
Zii Jia, who has admitted that he lacks mental strength, struggled to beat 35-year-old Hans-Kristian Vittinghus 21-15, 15-21, 21-10 in a 58 minute encounter, riding on Dane’s match fitness for victory.
In the quarter-finals on Friday, the 23-year-old Malaysian faces the aggressive third ranked Anders Antonsen, who is only 24-year-old.
He is the reigning European champion. Zii Jia is the reigning SEA Games champion.
Meanwhile, two national men’s doubles pairs were shown the exit.
Tokyo Olympics bronze medallists Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik, seeded fourth in Huelva, were knocked out by Chinese No 16 seeds He Ji Ting-Tan Qiang 17-21, 21-14, 21-16 in 50 minutes.
Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani fell to Tokyo Olympics champions Lee Yang-Wang Chi-Lin of Chinese Taipei 21-18, 17-21, 21-18 in a match that lasted 68 minutes.
Two professional pairs – Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong and Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi – however, kept Malaysia’s interest alive after winning their respective second round matches in three games.
Yew Sin-Ee Yi downed India’s Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty 22-20, 18-21, 21-15 in 68 minutes while V Shem-Wee Kiong got the better of Bjarre Geiss-Jan Colin Volker of Germany 21-14, 14-21, 21-17.
In the quarter-finals Yew Sin-Ee Yi will be up against Lee Yang-Wang Chi-Lin while V Shem-We Kiong will take on China’s Ji Ting-Tan Qiang.
Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie stayed alive in the mixed doubles with a three-game 21-8, 19-21, 21-19 win over Hong Kong China’s Yeung Ming Nok-Ng Tsz Yau and will meet second seeds Dechapol Puavaranukroh-Sapsiree Taerattanachai for a place in the last four.
However, two other pairs – Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing and Hoo Pang Ron-Cheah Yee See fell in the third round.
The men’s singles also saw three Indians – led by former World No 1 K. Srikanth – making the quarter-finals.
The others who advanced are Prannoy HS and Lakshya Sen. Singapore’s Penang-born Loh Kean Yew also advanced to the quarters.
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