Tough challenger: Lee Zii Jia loses to Hangzhou Asian Games champion Li Shifeng 21-17, 11-21, 12-21 in the second round in Rennes. — AP
PETALING JAYA: Shuttler Lee Zii Jia managed to beat one Chinese but could not get past another in the men’s singles competition in the French Open.
Zii Jia went down fighting 21-17, 11-21, 12-21 to Hangzhou Asian Games champion Li Shifeng in the second round at the Glaz Arena in Rennes yesterday.
The independent player had exacted sweet revenge over Shifeng’s compatriot Weng Hongyang by beating him 21-15, 21-11 in the first round the previous day.
It was an impressive win for world No. 11 Zii Jia after he had lost tamely to world No. 19 Hongyang in the final of the Denmark Open on Sunday.
Zii Jia, though, could not continue his good form until the end in the second round.
The 25-year-old had stormed to a 9-3 lead in the third game but world No. 5 Shifeng refused to give in and clawed his way back to grab the win.
It was still a good effort from Zii Jia after he had reached back-to-back finals in the Arctic Open and Denmark tourney in the last two weeks.Zii Jia had captured his first title this year in the Arctic Open.
Despite the defeat to Shifeng, Zii Jia looks to have got his mojo back after struggling for much of the year prior to the Arctic tourney.
Meanwhile, another Malaysian Ng Tze Yong booked his spot in the second round with a straightforward 21-9, 21-9 victory over Dutch player Mark Caljouw.
Tze Yong will play homester Arnaud Merkle next.
Meanwhile, it was the end of the road for independent women’s doubles pair Vivian Hoo-Lim Chiew Sien after they lost out 8-21, 18-21 to Indonesia’s Apriyani Rahayu-Siti Fadia Ramadhanti in the second round.
Malaysia’s challenge in the women’s doubles is over after Vivian-Chiew Sien’s exit. (Malaysians only)First round
Men’s singles: Lee Zii Jia bt Weng Hongyang (Chn) 21-15, 21-11; Ng Tze Yong bt Mark Caljouw (Ned) 21-9, 21-9.
Men’s doubles: Rasmus Kjaer-Frederik Sogaard (Den) bt Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun 21-18, 18-21, 15-21.
Mixed doubles: Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei bt Mads Vestergaard-Christine Busch (Den) 21-12, 21-15; Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie bt Yang Po-hsuan-Hu Ling-fang (Tpe) 21-9, 21-8.
Second round
Men’s singles: Li Shifeng (Chn) bt Lee Zii Jia 17-21, 21-11, 21-12.
Women’s doubles: Apriyani Rahayu-Siti Fadia Ramadhanti (Ina) bt Vivian Hoo-Lim Chiew Sien 21-8, 21-18.
RESULTS
