Tough task: Lee Zii Jia needs to raise his game in the Japan Masters to remain in contention for the World Tour Finals spot.
PETALING JAYA: Kunlavut Vitidsarn of Thailand’s win in the Korean Masters has increased the pressure on Malaysia’s Lee Zii Jia in the race to qualify for the World Tour Finals from Dec 11-15 in Hangzhou.
Paris Olympics silver medallist Kunlavut captured his first title since winning the World Championships last year and gained 7,000 points to jump from 10th to fifth spot with 71,750 points in the Race to Hangzhou rankings, overtaking Zii Jia.
The 23-year-old was delighted to end his title drought and reignite his hopes of making the cut for the Finals.
“Really happy because I hadn’t won a title this year. This tournament is special and I need to keep it going. I still have an injury, but I can control it,” said Kunlavut in a post-match interview with the Badminton World Federation (BWF).
“I need points for the Finals, and there are only two tournaments left.”
Meanwhile, Zii Jia, who has 69,900 points slips down one rung to sixth spot and needs to raise his game in the Japan Masters which starts today in Kumamoto to remain in contention to book his spot.
Only the players in the top seven will qualify as the eighth spot will automatically go to Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen by virtue of his Paris OIympics gold medal win in August.
The race in the men’s singles remains open and Zii Jia has no margin for error as the likes of Japanese duo Koki Watanabe (67,530) and Kenta Nishimoto (65,780), who are currently in eighth and ninth spot respectively and China’s 10th placed Lu Guangzu (65,640) are among those who still have the opportunity to overtake him.
In the Japan tourney, the independent player could face fellow Malaysian Justin Hoh in his opening match if the latter clears the qualifying rounds but even if he clears it, he has Jonatan Christie of Indonesia in his quarter.
World No. 49 Justin has a tricky hurdle in the first qualifying match against South Korea’s world No. 36 Jeon Hyeok-jin.
A win will see the 20-year-old take on either Hong Kong’s Jason Gunawan or another Korean Cho Geon-yeop in the second qualifying round.
Meanwhile, Malaysia will also be represented in the men’s singles by world No. 30 Leong Jun Hao, who has a tough opening hurdle against India’s world No. 17 Lakshya Sen.
