Lee Zii Jia, Aaron Chia/Soh Wooi Yik Battle Through to Kumamoto Masters Japan Second Round

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Lee Zii Jia was pushed to the limit by Justin Hoh in the first round of Kumamoto Masters. (Photo: AFP)
Lee Zii Jia was pushed to the limit by Justin Hoh in the first round of Kumamoto Masters. (Photo: AFP)

Kumamoto: Malaysia’s Lee Zii Jia and the men’s doubles duo Aaron Chia/Soh Wooi Yik, fought hard to secure their spots in the second round of the Kumamoto Masters in Japan.

Highlights of Lee Zii Jia vs. Justin Hoh in the first round of the 2024 Kumamoto Masters Japan:

In a gripping first-round encounter, fifth-seed Lee Zii Jia faced a tough challenge from compatriot Justin Hoh, who had advanced from the qualifiers. The World No. 7 Lee needed three intense sets and 62 minutes to overcome the spirited Hoh. Lee claimed the opening set 21-16 but faltered in the second, losing 12-21. He eventually sealed the match with a 21-17 victory in the deciding set.

Justin Hoh, ranked World No. 49, showed great promise but appeared fatigued, making uncharacteristic errors after playing two qualifying matches prior to meeting Lee Zii Jia in the main draw.

For Lee Zii Jia, this win is a crucial step toward securing a spot in the BWF World Tour Finals in Hangzhou, China, next month. Currently ranked sixth in the race to Hangzhou, Lee holds a slim lead over Japan’s Koki Watanabe (67,530 points) and Kenta Nishimoto (65,780 points), having accumulated 69,900 points. Only the top seven players will qualify, with Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen already securing his spot as the reigning Olympic champion.

Meanwhile, Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik, fresh off their Korea Masters triumph, had to dig deep in their opening match against Denmark’s Daniel Lundgaard and Mads Vestergaard. Despite losing the first set 15-21, the World No. 6 pair bounced back to win the next two sets 21-17, 21-9 in a 52-minute battle.

Seeded fourth, Chia/Soh will face Taiwan’s Chiu Hsiang Chieh and Wang Chi Lin in the second round. Chiu and Wang advanced after defeating another Malaysian duo, Low Hang Yee and Ng Eng Cheong, 21-14, 21-19.

Chia/Soh defeated Chiu/Wang in last week’s Korea Masters semifinals 21-17, 21-16.

This victory keeps Chia/Soh’s hopes alive for qualifying for the BWF World Tour Finals. While their chances are still mathematically possible, they need to reach at least the semifinals in both the Kumamoto Masters and the upcoming China Masters, scheduled from November 19 to 24.

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