PETALING JAYA: Professional men’s singles shuttler Lee Zii Jia crashed out in the first round of the Swiss Open on Wednesday (March 11).
Zii Jia struggled to find his rhythm against Jason Teh of Singapore before going down 14-21, 14-21 at St Jakobshalle in Basel.
It is learnt that he could be struggling with ankle pain.
Malaysia, however, still had reason to cheer after compatriot Justin Hoh kept the challenge alive by advancing to the second round.
Justin battled past France’s Arnaud Merkle in a tough three-game encounter, prevailing 20-22, 21-16, 21-17.
He will next face India’s Tharun Mannepalli for a place in the quarter-finals.
In the women’s singles, Wong Ling Ching also delivered a convincing performance after defeating Taiwan’s Huang Yu-hsun 21-14, 21-9.
Ling Ching, however, faces a stern test next as she takes on top seed Putri Kusuma in the second round.
Another Malaysian, K. Letshanaa, bowed out after going down to Thailand’s Busanan Ongbamruphan 21-23, 21-14, 14-21.
In the mixed doubles, only Jimmy Wong-Lai Pei Jing progressed after defeating Denmark’s Rasmus Espersen-Amalie Kudsk 21-18, 22-20.
Jimmy-Pei Jing will next meet Indonesia’s Jafar Hidayatullah-Felisha Pasaribu.
Wong Tien Ci-Lim Chiew Sien were eliminated after losing to Thailand’s Pakkapon Teeraratsakul-Sapsiree Taerattanachai 21-17, 17-21, 14-21.
Hoo Pang Ron-Cheng Su Yin also fell short after going down 19-21, 24-26 to China’s Zhu Yijun-Li Qian.
