[UPDATED] Zii Jia eases through next round in World C’ships

KUALA LUMPUR – It was a walk in the park for national ace shuttler Lee Zia Jia as he cruised through the second round of the World Championships after beating Brian Leverdez of France in straight sets at the Metropolitan Gymnasium in Tokyo today.

It only took Zii Jia 40 minutes to dismantle Leverdez 21-9, 21-13 and book his next round match against Portugal’s Bernardo Atilano.

Atilano did not break a sweat in the first round as his opponent Max Weisskirchen of Germany gave a walkover due to injury.

Earlier, Commonwealth Games silver medallist Ng Tze Yong continued his outstanding performance after qualifying for the second round.

The 22-year-old player crushed Indonesia’s Chico Aura Dwi Wardoyo 21-16, 21-10 in 20 minutes.

In the second-round tomorrow, Tze Yong will meet Thailand’s Sitthikom Thammasin, who ousted 13th seed Kanta Tsuneyama of Japan 13-21, 21-16, 21-13 in their opening match.

Meanwhile, Malaysia’s independent player Daren Liew was knocked out by world number one Viktor Axelsen of Denmark in the first round today. Daren lost 16-21, 12-21 in 42 minutes.

At the same time, national women’s doubles pair of Vivan Hoo and Chiew Sien qualified for the second round as they defeated Germany’s Linda Efler and Isabel Lohau 21-17, 21-15.

Mixed doubles pair Chen Tang Jie-Peck Yen Wei followed in their footsteps to proceed to the second round after their opponent, Americans Mathew Fogarty-Isabel Zhong, retired from the game during the second set, leaving a score of 21-8, 19-2. – The Vibes, August 22, 2022