Malaysian men’s singles player and World No. 7, Lee Zii Jia, down to the bronze medal match after losing to Kunkavut Vitidsarn from Thailand in the Semi-final round of men’s singles event of badminton at the Olympics 2024 held at Porte de La Chapelle Arena, Paris.
Zii Jia started the first set with fierce resistance but lost focus, allowing Kunlavut to take advantage and win the set 21-15 in 26 minutes. In the second set, Zii Jia tried to recover but could not find an answer to Kunlavut’s consistent play, resulting in a 21-15 victory for the Thai player. Kunlavut’s win ignited his chances of winning his first gold at the Olympics.
Kunlavut will face the winner of the semi-final match between Danish champion Viktor Axelsen and India’s Lakshya Sen. Kunlavut’s high confidence will be crucial as he fights for a ticket to the final stage.
Zii Jia’s defeat means he will play in the bronze medal match against either Axelsen or Lakshya. This is a significant moment for Malaysian badminton, as the last time Malaysia had a representative in the final of the men’s singles event was in the 2016 edition through Datuk Lee Chong Wei, who won the silver medal after losing to China’s Chen Long.
Credit Photo : OCM
