Jakarta: In the men’s singles second round of the 2024 Indonesia Masters, Malaysia’s world no. 10 Lee Zii Jia, secured a victory against Hong Kong’s world no. 20 Ng Ka Long with scores of 22-20, 21-15. This marks his consecutive entry into the quarterfinals for the second time after last week’s India Open.
Highlgihts of Lee Zii Jia vs. Ng Ka Long in the 2024 Indonesia Masters:
Lee Zii Jia had a previous head-to-head record of 2 wins and 4 losses against Ng Ka Long. Although he had a victory in their last encounter in September at the Asian Games, before the Asian Games, he faced four consecutive defeats to Ng Ka Long.
In this match, both players’ coaches, Wong Tat Meng and Wong Choong Hann were engaged in a tactical battle. In the first game, Lee Zii Jia initially had a slow start but managed to keep the score close, trailing 10-11 at the mid-game interval. The intense competition continued, with both players taking turns leading.
Lee Zii Jia’s performance steadily improved in this match. His offensive strategies became more diverse, and his defensive capabilities significantly strengthened. When leading 19-18 in the first game, he showcased a series of defensive moves, forcing Ng Ka Long to make mistakes and ultimately securing the first game with a score of 22-20. Despite Ng Ka Long saving two game points, Lee Zii Jia scored two additional points in the deuce, winning the first game.
In the second game, Lee Zii Jia displayed confidence and consistently controlled the pace of the match, maintaining a lead. Though he briefly trailed 12-13, he quickly launched a 7-1 offensive, ultimately winning the second game with a score of 21-15. The entire match lasted 45 minutes.
Lee Zii Jia’s opponent in the quarterfinals will be Canada’s Brian Yang, who eliminated India’s Prannoy H. S. with scores of 21-18, 21-14. In their previous encounter in the first round of last week’s India Open, Lee Zii Jia emerged victorious against Yang.
Malaysia’s other men’s singles player, Leong Jun Hao, faced Indonesia’s top player Anthony Sinisuka Ginting but was defeated with scores of 15-21, 17-21, thus stopping at the Round of 16.
