![[UPDATED] Zii Jia whips through first round in Indonesia Open, beats Sitthikom Thammasin](https://media.thevibes.com/images/uploads/covers/_large/20220615_zii_jia_Malaysia_Badminton_News_fb.jpeg)
KUALA LUMPUR – National shuttler Lee Zii Jia made a quick win of his first round in the Indonesia Open after defeating Thailand’s Sitthikom Thammasin 21-15, 21-14.
Zii Jia was behind for the majority of the first set, but made fewer mistakes than his opponent for the final points, going into the second set with the lead.
The second set was much smoother for the Kedah-born as he maintained a good lead and closed out the match in 41 minutes.
He will either play Frenchman Thomas Rouxel or Sameer Verman from India tomorrow in the round of 16.
World number five Zii Jia will be looking to do better in the tournament after his shocking quarterfinals exit last week at the Indonesian Masters, losing to Indonesia’s favourite Anthony Sinisuka Ginting in rubber sets.
The Indonesian then lost to tournament champion Viktor Axelsen in the semi-finals.
Meanwhile, mixed doubles pair Goh Soon Huat-Lai Shevon Jemie defeated top seeds Thai duo Dechapol Puavaranukroh-Sapsiree Taerattanachai in a first round upset 18-21, 21-7, 20-22.
It would have been their most intense match as Goh collapsed on the court several times as he was still feeling the effects of food poisoning from last week’s Indonesian Masters.
The world number 14 Malaysians will next face fellow teammates Hoo Pang Ron-Toh Ee Wei for a place in the quarterfinals after the latter had upset Japanese pair Yuki Kaneko-Misaki Matsumoto 21-14, 21-19.
Also succeeding in the second round were the third mixed doubles pair Soong Joo Ven-Goh Liu Ying after defeating Indonesians Hafiz Faizal-Serena Kani 21-13, 22-20 to meet Japanese pairing Yuta Watanabe-Arisa Higashino.
World number 10 men’s doubles Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi followed suit in the victory as they won against Danish pair Jeppe Bay-Lasse Molhede 21-14, 21-14 and will face Takuro Hoki-Yugo Kobayashi of Japan in the second round.
In the women’s doubles category, Vivian Hoo-Lim Chiew Sien overpowered Brazil’s Jaqueline and Samia Lima 21-10,21-5, however, Low Yeen Yuan-Valeree Siow lost 21-10, 21-14 to China's Du Yue-Li Wen Mei. – The Vibes, June 14, 2022
