Malaysia’s professional men’s singles shuttler Lee Zii Jia endured another frustrating outing on the BWF World Tour after crashing out in the first round of the YONEX-SURISE India Open 2026 at the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex.
The 27-year-old suffered his second consecutive opening-round defeat in as many BWF World Tour tournaments this season, once again falling to Denmark’s Rasmus Gemke, who continued his dominance over the Malaysian star.
Gemke, ranked 144th in the world, made a strong start by comfortably taking the opening game 21-13, capitalising on unforced errors from Zii Jia.
Facing early pressure in the second game after trailing 1-4, the Paris 2024 Olympic bronze medallist responded with renewed intensity, clawing his way back to edge ahead 14-13 in a tense exchange marked by long rallies and tighter margins. Zii Jia’s resilience paid off as he sealed the second game 21-18, forcing the match into a decider.
The third game developed into a gripping battle, with both players trading points and refusing to concede ground. Locked at 8-8, the contest grew increasingly dramatic as the match stretched close to the 60-minute mark, with victory hanging in the balance.
However, once again, fortune failed to favour the Malaysian as Gemke held his nerve to close out the match 21-18, sending Zii Jia packing from the tournament.
The defeat marked Zii Jia’s fifth loss to Gemke in their head-to-head meetings, underlining the Dane’s status as a persistent stumbling block for the former All England champion.
With the season still in its early stages, Lee Zii Jia will now be hoping to regroup quickly as he searches for form and consistency ahead of the next leg of the BWF World Tour.
Credit Photo : BERNAMA
