All England: Zii Jia sets up another Q-Final clash with Momota
Bernama
March 18, 2022 12:14 MYT
March 18, 2022 12:14 MYT
Reigning champion Zii Jia advanced to the last-eight stage after eliminating Canada's Brian Yang 26-24, 21-11 in the second round at the Arena Birmingham on Thursday (early Friday in Malaysia). - BERNAMA/Filepic
KUALA LUMPUR: National top men's singles shuttler Lee Zii Jia has set up a tantalising All England quarter-final clash against world number two Kento Momota of Japan.
Reigning champion Zii Jia advanced to the last-eight stage after eliminating Canada's Brian Yang 26-24, 21-11 in the second round at the Arena Birmingham on Thursday (early Friday in Malaysia).
Momota, the 2019 champion, entered the quarter-finals by taming Heo Kwanghee of South Korea 21-16, 21-12, which avenged his defeats by the South Korean in the Tokyo Olympics and Thomas Cup last year.
"I know I am playing the same person, Zii Jia, at the same place I lost last year. However, I am not going to worry about it; I am going to do my best," Momota said to the All England official media after the match.
The exciting showdown is scheduled for 5 pm local time (1 am Saturday Malaysian time).
Zii Jia has won only twice against Momota in their 10 meetings, with the first coming at the 2021 All England quarter-finals, en route to his maiden major Badminton World Federation (BWF) Tour title.
Mixed doubles pair Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing also made it into the quarters, edging Thailand's Supak Jomkoh-Supissara Paewsampran 21-19, 21-17.
However, Malaysia's top men's doubles shuttlers Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik's dream of winning their maiden BWF Tour title was dashed again.
The world number seven and 2020 Tokyo Olympics bronze medallists lost to world number 19 He Ji Ting-Tan Qiang of China 15-21, 19-21.
2016 Rio Olympics silver medallist Goh Liu Ying's new partnership with Ong Yew Sin also faced the same fate, as they lost 5-21, 15-21 to second seeds Zheng Si Wei-Huang Ya Qiong of China in the mixed doubles.
Another mixed doubles pair, Hoo Pang Ron-Cheah Yee See, were shown the exit by Indonesians Praveen Jordan-Melati Oktavianti, who won 21-16, 21-14.
Liew Daren bowed out after a 21-18, 13-21, 9-21 defeat to Taiwan's Chou Tien Chen in another men's singles match.
-- BERNAMA