Macau: Lee Zii Jia’s search for form continued at the Macau Open after the Malaysian professional men’s singles player was knocked out in the opening round on Wednesday.
The world No. 63 Malaysian fell to Indonesia’s Prahdiska Bagas Shujiwo 12-21, 20-22 in 38 minutes, ending his campaign early at the badminton tournament.
Prahdiska, the seventh seed and world No. 43, started the match with greater control and took the opening game 21-12. Lee struggled to find his rhythm early and was unable to put enough pressure on the Indonesian player.
The second game was far more competitive. Lee pushed the score into the closing stages and came close to forcing a deciding game, but Prahdiska stayed steadier at the crucial points to win 22-20.
The result adds to a difficult stretch for Lee, who also suffered a first-round exit at the Australia Open last week. For the former All England champion, the latest defeat underlines the challenge he faces as he tries to rebuild confidence and consistency on the international badminton circuit.
Aidil Soleh Falls to Ng Ka Long
Malaysia also lost another men’s singles representative in the opening round, as Aidil Soleh was beaten by top seed Ng Ka Long Angus of Hong Kong.
Aidil, ranked world No. 83, gave a strong fight in the first game before going down 19-21, 13-21 in 38 minutes to the world No. 25 player.
The Malaysian stayed close in the opening game and had opportunities to put more pressure on Ng, but the Hong Kong player handled the key rallies better. Ng then took firmer control in the second game to close out the match in straight games.
Malaysian Men’s Doubles Pairs Make Strong Start
While Malaysia’s men’s singles challenge suffered early setbacks, the country enjoyed a much better day in men’s doubles, with all four professional pairs advancing to the second round.
Top seeds Nur Mohd Azriyn Ayub and Tan Wee Kiong lived up to their status by defeating Indonesia’s Muh Putra Erwiansyah and Bagas Maulana 21-14, 21-15.
The Malaysian pair controlled the match well and avoided any major trouble as they moved into the next round.
They will next face fellow Malaysians Boon Xin Yuan and Lwi Sheng Hao, who also advanced after beating India’s Bhargav Ram Arigela and Viswa Tej Gobburu 21-16, 21-12.
That all-Malaysian second-round meeting guarantees Malaysia at least one men’s doubles pair in the quarterfinals.
Low Hang Yee-Ng Eng Cheong Advance
Low Hang Yee and Ng Eng Cheong also moved into the second round with a straight-game win over Russia’s Rodion Alimov and Maksim Ogloblin.
The Malaysians won 21-14, 21-15 and will next meet Singapore’s eighth seeds Wesley Koh and Junsuke Kubo.
The next match is expected to be a tougher test, but Low and Ng will enter it with confidence after a clean opening-round performance.
Chia Wei Jie-Teo Ee Yi Complete Malaysian Sweep in Men’s Doubles
Chia Wei Jie and Teo Ee Yi completed Malaysia’s perfect men’s doubles start by coming from behind to beat Chinese Taipei’s Su Ching Heng and Tang Kai Wei.
The Malaysian pair dropped the opening game 19-21 but responded strongly to win the next two games 21-13, 21-16.
The comeback showed good composure from Chia and Teo, who managed to reset after a tight first-game loss and regain control of the match.
Mixed Day for Malaysia at Macau Open
It was a mixed day for Malaysian badminton at the Macau Open. Lee Zii Jia’s early defeat will draw attention, especially after his recent first-round loss in Australia, while Aidil Soleh also bowed out in men’s singles.
However, Malaysia’s men’s doubles players gave the camp something positive to build on. With four pairs through to the second round and one all-Malaysian clash already confirmed, the country remains strongly represented in the doubles draw.
For Lee Zii Jia, the focus now shifts back to recovery, training, and finding the rhythm that once made him one of the most dangerous attacking players in men’s singles badminton.
