PETALING JAYA: A fascinating all-Malaysian battle is on the cards at the Hong Kong Open starting next Tuesday (Sept 9) when the country’s top two men’s singles players, Lee Zii Jia and Leong Jun Hao, square off in the first round.
The draw pits former Asian champion Zii Jia against national No. 1 Jun Hao in what will be their fourth career meeting, setting the stage for an intriguing contest as both are eager to redeem themselves after underwhelming outings at the World Championships in Paris last week.
Zii Jia, who has just returned from an ankle injury, crashed out in the opening round to South Korea’s Jeon Hyeok-jin, while Jun Hao, despite a thorough training stint in Denmark, was halted in the second round by Japan’s Kenta Nishimoto.
The showdown will be closely watched as it could decide who truly deserves recognition as the nation’s leading singles shuttler.
History favours Zii Jia, who has triumphed in all three of their previous clashes, including their first at the Dutch Junior Under-19 in 2016. Their last meeting came in the quarter-finals of the 2023 Arctic Open, where Zii Jia went on to capture the title.
