Paris 2024 badminton: Lee Zii Jia overpowers France's Toma Popov to reach quarter-finals
Be cool.
That is what Lee Zii Jia told himself as France's Toma Popov traded point for point, trying to force a third game with the deafening crowd at La Chapelle Arena behind him.
And the Malaysian, who has openly admitted to his share of mental struggles in recent years, found inner peace to edge his resilient opponent 21-13, 24-22 to reach his first Olympic quarter-final at the Paris 2024 badminton tournament on Thursday (1 August).
“It’s a tough game in the second game and I was expecting to go into the third set,” Lee said. “First of all, the crowd here is definitely very crazy and Popov again he played a very good match today. I’ve played him a few times and he's in his best condition now definitely. A lot of respect for him.
“I was just trying to calm down myself on the court and just try to focus on every point. That’s all I was trying to do.”
Toma Popov, the only French player remaining in badminton, was eliminated on Thursday.
Lee Zii Jia in control
Lee - who was knocked out in the round of 16 three years ago at Tokyo 2020 - is the first Malaysian since the great Lee Chong Wei won a silver medal at Rio 2016 to reach the last eight at the Games.
While he never trailed in the first game, Lee was perilously close to losing the second, having to save two set points before scoring the last three points of the match.
But Lee never looked shaken, keeping his composure as Popov - who was the last Frenchman standing in the entire badminton field - attempted to chip away at his armour.
The 47 minutes Lee was out there was far from easy to navigate, with the home fans boosting Popov with each point he won - but Lee handled it all.
That has to be an encouraging sign ahead of his quarter-final for Lee, who faces Denmark’s Anders Antonsen on Friday. And he refuses to be drawn into the comparison talks with Lee Chong Wei, who he feels is in a league of his own.
“I mean he can't be replaced,” Zii Jia said. “He's a legend and all of his achievements - it's definitely fantastic. It's incredible. It's unbreakable as well as the record he made.
“To be in the quarter-finals tomorrow against my friend Anders, hopefully both of us will play well.”