Copenhagen: In a captivating clash between Lee Zii Jia and Anders Antonsen, Lee’s journey came to a halt in the round of 16 as Antonsen showcased his dominance by besting Lee in a gripping encounter of 21-18, 21-17, securing his place in the top 8.
Highlights of Lee Zii Jia vs. Anders Antonsen in the 2023 World Championships third round:
From the beginning of the first set, both Lee and Antonsen already started their attacks rather than adopt a more conservative approach. While Lee Zii Jia initially trailed 4-6, he quickly rallied, reaching a draw at 7. The resonant chorus of “Lee Zii Jia boleh” from fans echoed through the arena, underscoring their unwavering support.
Antonsen managed to maintain a slight edge, leading 11 to 9 at the halftime interval of the first set and maintaining a 16-12 lead. Despite Lee’s efforts to catch up, Antonsen’s controlled play and minimal errors ensured he clinched the first game 21-18.
The second game saw Lee start battling some unforced errors, giving Antonsen an early advantage of 3-0 and 6-4. Though Lee Zii Jia leveled the score at 11 with a forceful attack, Antonsen’s composed and low-turnover play maintained his lead. Lee’s spirited efforts to bridge the gap were valiant, but Antonsen’s unyielding stance held strong. Ultimately, Antonsen secured a 21-17 victory, sealing his triumph.
Antonsen will play Kenta Nishimoto of Japan next, while another Danish player, the No. 1 seed Viktor Axelsen will meet HS Prannoy of India on Friday. Prannoy defeated the 2021 world champion Loh Kean Yew of Singapore 21-18, 15-21, 21-19 on Thursday.
A flashback to last year’s World Championships in Tokyo, where Li Zii Jia also lost in the round of 16, suffering a 1-2 defeat to China’s Zhao Junpeng.
In the preceding round on Wednesday, both Lee Zii Jia and Anders Antonsen each emerged victorious, defeating Canada’s Brian Yang and Malaysia’s Ng Tze Yong respectively, in straight sets.
Shifting the focus to the men’s doubles, the defending champions Aaron Chia/Soh Wooi Yik made waves as they advanced to the top 8 by defeating Olympic champions Wang Chi-Lin/Lee Yang in a nail-biting match. The clash showcased the defending champions’ resilience as they conquered the Chinese Taipei Olympic champions 21-16, 21-18.
Highlights of Aaron Chia/Soh Wooi Yik vs. Wang Chi-Lin/Lee Yang in the 2023 World Championships third round:
The upcoming semi-finals promise to be intense, as the Chia/Soh go head-to-head with China’s Liu Yuchen/Ou Xuanyi. On a bittersweet note, the journey for Malaysia’s other men’s doubles pairs – Ong Yew Sin/Teo Ee Yi, and Man Wei Chong/Tee Kai Wun ended in the round of 16.
Malaysia also has two other pairs who made the quarter-finals. Pearly Tan/Thinaah Muralitharan defeated 2018, 2019 World Champions Mayu Matsumoto/Wakana Nagahara 21-14, 22-20 to meet Zhang Shu Xian/Zheng Yu of China, while Chen Tang Jie/Toh Ee Wei current World No. 8 Thom Gicquel/Delphine Delrue of France 20-22, 21-19, 21-12 to play World No. 2 Yuta Watanabe/Arisa Higashino next.
