Malaysia Lee Zii Jia defeated a disliked athlete from Chinese Taipei Lin Chun-yi in his first badminton match Indonesian Champions 2023 in Jakarta on Wednesday (January 25).
The second seed – the highest seed in the competition after the first seed Viktor Axelsen withdrew before the tournament – was the straight games winner in the first career meeting between him and Lin. Result 21:18, 21:17.
Lee approaches the face Ng Ka Long Angus from Hong Kong, China in the second round of men’s singles.
Previously the third seed Loh Kean Yew from Singapore advanced to the second round thanks to a straight-forward victory over PR China Li Shifeng 21-14, 21-16.
Loh, world number 8 but seeded third because the draw was conducted using an older set of world rankings, will move up to Indonesia’s Chico Aura Dwi Wardoyo in the last 16 years.
Antoni Ginting and Jonathan Christie they were the other notable men’s singles first round winners.
Seventh-place women’s singles and Rio 2016 Olympic champion also advanced to the second round, Carolina Marin.
Marin continued her strong comeback from her latest injury with a 21-10, 21-10 straight game win over Chinese Taipei’s Hsu Wen-chi and will face the Thai. Busanan Ongbamrungphan next.
Earlier in the day, Japan Momota Kento was eliminated by Shi Yuqiwhile his compatriot and top female seed Yamaguchi Akane withdrew from the tournament, resulting in a walkover for Thailand Pornpawee Chochuwong.
