Malaysian men’s singles player and World No. 7, Lee Zii Jia, advanced to the semi-final after defeating Anders Antonsen from Denmark in the Qaurter-final round of men’s singles event of badminton at the Olympics 2024 held at Porte de La Chapelle Arena, Paris.
Lee Zii Jia stunned fourth seed Anders Antonsen 21-17, 21-15 in a match that resonated with the cheers of fans from both countries. The seventh seed, Zii Jia, showcased a fast attacking style, catching his opponent off guard multiple times with tight net play and minimal errors.
The 25-year-old Malaysian led 11-8 in the first set before sealing it with a series of smashes that Antonsen could not counter, ending the set in 26 minutes.
In the second set, Zii Jia maintained his aggressive play but showed slight inconsistency after leading 11-6. Antonsen, who had a 5-3 head-to-head lead over Zii Jia before this match, narrowed the gap and tried to force a deciding set with scores of 10-14, 11-16, and 15-18.
However, after 53 minutes on the court, Zii Jia secured the winning point when Antonsen’s counter punch landed out of bounds on the backline of Zii Jia’s court.
With this victory, Zii Jia will face Thai badminton star Kunlavut Vitidsarn in the semi-finals on Sunday. Kunlavut, the reigning world champion and eighth seed, had earlier stunned top seed Shi Yu Qi of China 21-12, 21-10 in just 43 minutes.
Credit Photo : OCM
