Asian Games 2023 badminton: Lee Zii Jia's run ends after quarter-final defeat, Ng Tze Yong also out as Malaysia's singles hopes end
Malaysia's Lee had match point against H.S. Prannoy, but narrowly loses in a three-game thriller. Ng loses in straight games to Naraoka Kodai
Badminton
Lee Zii Jia's run at the 19th Asian Games Hangzhou badminton tournament is over, but the Malaysian did not go down without a fight in his quarter-final.
The 25-year-old went down to India's HS Prannoy in a 78-minute marathon on Thursday (5 October), losing 16–21, 23–21, 20–22 – even having a match point saved by Prannoy in the third game.
Lee was on a roll in the tournament, having already seen off difficult opponents in Hong Kong China's Ng Ka Long Angus as well as Thai world champion Kunlavut Vitidsarn. So when the draw pitted him against Prannoy, who was already carrying a back injury from last week's team event, Lee might have fancied his chances.
The Malaysian took the early lead in the first game but was pegged back as Prannoy rolled off multiple points to take the opener. However, Lee showed grit to dig deep and save multiple match points in the second game before levelling the match.
The deciding game was a similarly close affair, with neither player giving in. Lee even had a match point at 20–19 up, but Prannoy saved it and then won the next two points to take the victory.
Lee's teammate Ng Tze Yong was also eliminated in the quarter-finals by Japan's Naraoka Kodai. Ng lost 20–22, 15–21 to the Japanese world number three to see Malaysia's hopes end in the singles competitions in Hangzhou.