Markham: Lee Zii Jia moved into the second round of the Canada Open after India’s fourth seed Kidambi Srikanth retired during their opening-round men’s singles match on Wednesday.
The Malaysian was leading 11-10 in the first game when Srikanth was forced to stop, sending Lee through to the next round at the Markham Pan Am Centre.
The result gave Lee a quick measure of revenge after his recent defeat to Srikanth at the US Open last week, where the Indian player beat him 21-14, 21-13 in the second round. Their Canada Open meeting had been one of the most anticipated first-round matches because the two were facing each other for the second straight week.
Srikanth’s early retirement ended the contest before it could fully develop, but Lee will take the win as he continues his search for rhythm and confidence on the BWF World Tour.
On a lighter note, with the World Cup match between Portugal and Croatia scheduled in Toronto on July 2, roughly an hour from Markham, some badminton fans may jokingly wonder whether Srikanth simply wanted to leave early for football. Of course, the official result remains a retirement, and Lee now moves on in the Canada Open draw.
Lee Zii Jia to Face Liao Jhuo-Fu Next
Lee’s next opponent will be Chinese Taipei’s Liao Jhuo-Fu, who defeated Canada’s Joshua Nguyen 21-19, 21-14 in the first round.
Liao controlled the match well and closed out both games in straight sets. The win sets up a second-round meeting with Lee, giving the Malaysian another important test as he tries to build momentum in Canada.
For Lee, the key will be match sharpness. Since his first-round match ended early, he may need to quickly adjust to a more complete contest against Liao, who already played a full match and looked steady against home opposition.
Riki Takei and Minoru Koga Set Up All-Japanese Clash
In another section of the men’s singles draw, Japan’s Riki Takei advanced after defeating Chinese Taipei’s Huang Ping-Hsien 21-12, 21-10.
Takei will next face compatriot and eighth seed Minoru Koga, who survived a three-game battle against Malaysia’s Cheam June Wei.
Cheam started strongly and took the opening game 21-16, but Koga responded with greater consistency to win the next two games 21-18, 21-19. The Japanese player now moves into the second round, while Cheam’s Canada Open run ends after successfully coming through qualifying.
Beiwen Zhang Advances in Women’s Singles
In women’s singles, United States fourth seed Beiwen Zhang made a strong start by defeating South Korea’s Kim Min Ji 21-13, 21-16.
Beiwen controlled the rallies well and kept the pressure on her opponent throughout both games. Her reward is a second-round match against India’s Aakarshi Kashyap.
Aakarshi booked her place in the next round with a 21-14, 21-12 win over France’s Anna Tatranova. The match between Beiwen and Aakarshi should be one of the more interesting women’s singles contests in the next round.
Michelle Li and Victor Lai Still to Play
Two of Canada’s biggest singles names are also scheduled to begin their campaigns later Wednesday.
In men’s singles, Canada’s top seed Victor Lai will face Finland’s Joakim Oldorff. Lai enters the tournament with major home expectations after his recent rise on the international badminton circuit.
In women’s singles, Canada’s No. 1 seed Michelle Li will take on India’s Anmol Kharb. Michelle is chasing another strong run at her home tournament and remains one of the main title contenders in the women’s singles draw.
Men’s Doubles: US Top Seeds Move On
In men’s doubles, the United States top seeds Chen Zhi Yi and Presley Smith advanced after defeating Scotland’s Alexander Dunn and Adam Pringle 21-16, 22-20.
The American pair will next face Denmark’s Christian Faust Kjaer and Rasmus Kjaer, who beat fellow US pair Arden Quan Lee and Stanley Xing 21-10, 21-17.
With Chen and Smith carrying top-seed status, their second-round match against the Danish pair will be an important test in the men’s doubles draw.
Women’s Doubles: Lauren Lam-Allison Lee Reach Round of 16
In women’s doubles, Spain’s Paula Lopez and Lucia Rodriguez advanced by walkover and will next meet United States second seeds Lauren Lam and Allison Quynh Lee.
Lauren and Allison reached the next round after defeating Canada’s Catherine Choi and American player Tsavanne Mertosono 21-14, 21-6.
The US pair looked comfortable in their opening match and will be expected to push deeper into the tournament.
Mixed Doubles: Presley Smith-Jennie Gai Survive Three-Game Test
In mixed doubles, United States top seeds Presley Smith and Jennie Gai survived a three-game opening-round battle against Canada’s Timothy Lock and Chloe Hoang.
Smith and Gai won 21-14, 18-21, 21-10 to secure their place in the next round.
They will face Brazil’s Davi Silva and Sania Lima, who edged United States pair Tian Qi Zhang and Audrey Chang 17-21, 21-14, 25-23 in a thriller.
The Brazilian pair showed excellent fighting spirit to win the deciding game 25-23, setting up a challenging second-round match against the top seeds.
Canada Open Delivers Early Badminton News Storylines
The Canada Open has already produced several notable badminton news stories, led by Lee Zii Jia’s quick advancement after Kidambi Srikanth’s retirement.
Lee will now turn his focus to Liao Jhuo-Fu, while Canadian fans still have Victor Lai and Michelle Li to watch as the tournament continues in Markham.
With seeded players in action across singles and doubles, the Canada Open is shaping up to be a busy week of badminton, with several strong contenders already moving into the next round.
