KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysia’s top badminton professional, Lee Zii Jia, had to dig deep to secure a spot in the final of the 2024 Australia Open.
He came from behind to overcome Taiwan’s Lee Chia Hao in a challenging three-set semi-final encounter today.
In the semi-final action at the Quaycentre in Sydney Olympic Park, the 2021 All England champion looked vulnerable as he lost the first game 10-21.
However, Zii Jia fought back determinedly, taking the second and third games 21-15, 21-10 to advance to the final, where he will face Japan’s Kodai Naraoka.
Today’s win marks Zii Jia’s third victory in six meetings against Chia Hao, who had previously beaten him at the 2016 Asia Junior Badminton Championships, the 2023 German Open, and the 2023 Hong Kong Open.
Against his upcoming opponent Naraoka, the second seed, Zii Jia holds a 2-1 head-to-head record, with his wins coming at the 2023 and 2024 All England Championships.
Malaysia will also have representation in the Australia Open women’s doubles final.
The pair of Lai Pei Jing and Lim Chiew Sien triumphed over Hong Kong’s third seeds Yeung Nga Ting and Yeung Pui Lam, winning 21-13, 18-21, 21-14.
In the women’s doubles final, Pei Jing and Chiew Sien will face the tournament’s second seeds, Febriana Dwipuji Kusuma and Amallia Cahaya Pratiwi from Indonesia.
However, it was not all smooth sailing for Malaysian pairs.
The mixed doubles pair Tan Kian Meng and Lai Pei Jing lost to China’s top seeds Jiang Zhen Bang and Wei Ya Xin, 11-21, 11-21.
Additionally, the men’s doubles pair Choong Hon Jian and Muhammad Haikal were defeated by He Ji Ting and Ren Xiang Yu of China, 18-21, 9-21. — June 15, 2024