Malaysia’s Lee Zii Jia endured another frustrating chapter in his comeback journey after crashing out in the second round of the Indonesia Masters despite a promising start against Thailand’s Panitchaphon Teeraratsakul at the Istora Senayan, Jakarta.
Currently ranked world No. 103, Zii Jia showed flashes of his former brilliance by taking the opening game, raising hopes of a deep run in the Super 500 tournament. However, Thailand’s world No. 44 Panitchaphon dug deep to turn the match around, sealing a 21-15, 17-21, 21-8 victory.
The turning point came in the second game when Zii Jia, the former All England champion, held a 17-15 lead and looked poised to close out the contest in straight games. Panitchaphon, however, mounted a spirited comeback, stringing together crucial points to force a decider.
In the third game, momentum firmly swung the Thai shuttler’s way, as Zii Jia struggled to keep pace with Panitchaphon’s consistency and court coverage, eventually missing out on a place in the quarter-finals.
The early exit will be a bitter pill to swallow for Zii Jia, who has been searching for rhythm and confidence following a long injury layoff. Still, his strong opening game performance offers a glimpse of encouragement as he continues rebuilding his form on the BWF World Tour.
Credit Photo : BERNAMA
