KUALA LUMPUR – None of the Malaysian shuttlers will be in the running for the BWF World Tour Finals title today, as all representatives in three events crashed out in the semi-finals yesterday at the Bali International Convention Centre.
The biggest disappointment was men’s world number eight shuttler Lee Zii Jia, who was upstaged by Thailand’s world number 23 Kunlavut Vitidsarn, losing in the straight sets, 18-21, 18-21.
Three-time world junior champion Kunlavut, who suffered a 15- 21, 16-21 defeat to the All England champion in a Group B match on Wednesday, avenged his loss en route to his first final in the season finale.
Zii Jia, who was disappointed for losing the game, said Kunlavut played a better game than him today.
“I think essentially he was more patient today compared to the previous match, and was more prepared, Kunlavut knows my gameplay and I can see he is more in control.
“Though I lost in the semi-finals, I can say it’s a good result compared to the 2020 World Tour Finals held in January this year (where I was eliminated in the group stage), but this time I made it into the semis,” he told an interview with the Badminton World Federation (BWF) after the match.
Zii Jia said he will take a rest and prepare for the season ending World Championship scheduled from December 12-19 at Huelva, Spain.
Meanwhile, in the men’s doubles semi-finals, world number 12 pair Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi could not match the mighty Japanese Takuro Hoki-Yugo Kobayashi, losing in straight sets 18-21, 15-21 in 39 minutes.
Earlier, 2016 Rio Olympics silver medalists Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying’s campaign in the mixed doubles category was also in tatters.
The duo went down against Thailand’s Dechapol Puavaranukroh-Sapsiree Taerattanachai 8-21, 18-21 after a 42-minute match.
Despite the semi-final exits, the representatives in the three events pocketed prize money of US$30,000 (RM 127,000) for making it into the last-four stage. – Bernama, December 5, 2021
