Japan Open: Zii Jia suffers shocking first-round exit

KUALA LUMPUR: Professional men's singles shuttler, Lee Zii Jia, made a surprise opening round exit at the Japan Open 2024, falling to Alex Lanier of France in Yokohama, today.

Fresh from securing bronze at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, sixth seeded Zii Jia, however was unable to replicate his recent form as he was sent packing by the world number 29 player, 18-21, 13-21 in 41-minutes during Super 750 tournament held in Yokohama Arena.

However, two national men's doubles pairs, Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani and Choong Hon Jian-Muhammad Haikal Nazri lived up to expectations to march into the second round.

Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin, eighth seeds, got past home pair, Kazuki Shibata-Naoki Yamada, with a convincing 21-13, 21-13 win, to book a second round slot against Liu Huang Keng-Yang Po Han.

The unseeded Taiwanese pair had earlier prevented an all-Malaysian affair tomorrow after eliminating Low Hang Yee-Ng Eng Cheong, 21-13, 21-17.

Hon Jian-Muhammad Haikal, on the other hand, came from behind to see off Bjaerne Geiss-Jan Colin Voelker of Germany 12-21, 21-11, 21-16 in 55 minutes.

A daunting task awaits the unseeded Malaysian duo as they will take on second seeds, Fajar Alfian-Muhammad Rian Ardianto after the Indonesians emerged victorious against China's Xie Hao Nan-Zeng Wei han, 22-20, 13-21, 21-14.

In women's singles, professional shuttler Goh Jin Wei failed to advance to the next round, losing to third seed from China, Wang Zhi Yi, 18-21, 10-21.

-- BERNAMA