Floored: Malaysia’s Lee Zii Jia went down to Taiwan's Lin Chun-yi in the second round of Malaysian Masters at Axiata Arena, Bukit Jalil on Thursday. — IZZRAFIQ ALIAS/The Star
KUALA LUMPUR: An unwell Lee Zii Jia crashed out of the Malaysian Masters after going down 19-21, 21-16, 15-21 to Taiwan’s Lin Chun-yi in the second round at Axiata Arena on Thursday (May 25).
Zii Jia had not been feeling well since returning from the Sudirman Cup in Suzhou last week and it was evident in his game against Chun-yi as he was struggling to keep pace with the Taiwanese. And the clever Chun-yi pressed home his advantage to get the win.
Said team manager Lee Zii Yi, who is also Zii Jia's sister: "First of all, I’m sorry as Zii Jia could not attend the postmatch interview because he was feeling dizzy after the match.
She said that he had not been in best condition since returning home from Sudirman Cup and had taken panadol before the match but it did not help.
Meanwhile, it was joy for Malaysia in the doubles as four pairs made it to the quarter-finals.
Men doubles shuttlers - Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik, Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun and Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi and women’s doubles pair Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah, all won their second round matches.
Aaron-Wooi Yik and Wei Chong-Kai Wun will face Indonesia’s Leo Rolly-Daniel Marthin and Mohd Ahsan-Hendra Setiawan respectively next while Yew Sin-Ee Yi will play South Korea's Kang Min-hyuk-Seo Seung-jae.
Pearly-Thinaah will take on Japan’s Yuki Fukushima-Sayaka Hirota for a place in the last four.
