Kuala Lumpur: Upsets marked the first day of the 2024 Malaysia Open (a BWF Super 1000 tournament) as Lee Zii Jia crashed out of the 2024 Malaysia Open first round on Tuesday.
Nevertheless, Lee asserted his determination never to surrender in his quest to become a champion. Lee expressed this commitment following his first-round loss to Chinese player Lu Guang Zu, with scores of 21-16, 19-21, 15-21, at the Axiata Arena in Bukit Jalil.
Highlights of Lee Zii Jia vs. Lu Guang Zu in the first round of 2024 Malaysia Open:
“I find it frustrating that after each lost match, I have to respond with the same question of trying again and making a ‘comeback stronger.’ I am tired of saying the same thing repeatedly,” said Lee.
“Fortunately, there’s a positive force within me that refuses to give up. I show up for training every day, diligently following my coach’s instructions.”
“As I often emphasize, this is part of the journey, I won’t lose hope and will continue to exercise patience.”
Meanwhile, in men’s doubles, Teo Ee Yi/Ong Yew Sin secured a spot in the second round by defeating the Taiwanese pair Lu Ching Yao/Yang Po Han with scores of 21-14, 21-15.
In mixed doubles, the Chinese pair, Feng Yanzhe, and Huang Dongping ranked world No. 4 in mixed doubles, and despite their remarkable performance last year with 7 titles and 3 runner-up positions in the BWF World Tour, they were eliminated from the 2024 Malaysia Open on Tuesday.
Facing world No. 20 Supak Jomkoh/Supissara Paewsampran of Thailand, the badminton fans expected a one-sided match in favor of Feng/Huang. However, contrary to expectations, Feng/Huang exhibited a lackluster performance, with Feng Yanzhe making many errors. In the end, Feng/Huang suffered a defeat with a score of 20-22, 19-21, marking their first-ever loss to the Thai opponents.
In men’s doubles, the Tokyo Olympic gold medalists Lee Yang/Wang Chi-Lin also faced a first-round exit, losing to Takuro Hoki/Yugo Kobayashi with a score of 16-21, 15-21.
In another mixed doubles match, Malaysia’s world No. 25 Tan Kian Meng/Lai Pei Jun also faced a defeat in the opening round of the 2024 Malaysia Open Super 1000 tournament but expressed determination to revive their careers and pursue their Olympic dreams.
Tan/Lai who had a 2-1 advantage in past encounters against the 7th-ranked Korean pair, Kim Won Ho/Jeong Na Eun. However, on Tuesday, the Korean pair changed their strategy, accelerating the pace and rhythm on the court, causing Tan/Lai to lose 11-21, 16-21, bringing their head-to-head record to 2 wins and 2 losses.
In a post-match interview, Tan expressed disappointment about the first-round exit, while Lai Pei Jun acknowledged that they lost due to their own mistakes. Despite the challenges faced last year, leading to a loss of sponsorship, they remained determined to improve their performance.
Regarding their chances of qualifying for the Paris Olympics, Lai Pei Jun admitted that the first-round exit in the Malaysia Super 1000 would undoubtedly impact their prospects. Tan/Lai are currently ranked 24th in the Olympic qualification rankings.