PETALING JAYA: Men’s singles shuttler Lee Zii Jia advanced to the second round of the Japan Masters after a narrow win against compatriot Justin Hoh on Wednesday (Nov 13).
The world No. 7 Zii Jia took an hour and two minutes to take down No. 50 Justin to win 21-16, 12-21, 21-17 in Kumamoto.
This was Zii Jia's first match since suffering an ankle injury at the Arctic Open quarter-finals in Finland last month. He has now set up a match with either Japan’s Koo Takahashi or Taiwan’s Su Li-yang in the second round.
Meanwhile, Leong Jun Hao showed up with a stunner as he took down world No. 17 Lakshya Sen 20-22, 21-17, 21-16 in the first round.
The win was the 25-year-old’s second victory against the Indian shuttler, with Sen winning three of the previous five encounters between the pairs.
Jun Hao would face either Indonesia’s Chico Aura Dwi Wardoyo or Japan’s Koki Watanabe in the second round next.
