Lee Zii Jia's projected path to Indonesia Open 2024 final

Published at :June 5, 2024 at 10:41 AM

Modified at :June 5, 2024 at 10:41 AM

(Courtesy : Getty Images)

Lee Zii Jia will play his first match at the 2024 Indonesia Open against Ng Ka Long Angus.

Malaysia star Lee Zii Jia performed very well last month. Lee ended his 2024 title drought by winning the Thailand Open title, defeating players like Lu Guangzu and Chou Tien Chen on his way to the final. Just next week, he continued his stellar performance in the Malaysia Masters tournament where he reached the finals by defeating players like Zhao Junpeng from China and the world number #5 Anders Antonsen from Denmark.

In the final, Lee faced the world number #1 Viktor Axelsen. Even though the Malaysian won a game, he could not overcome the challenges posed by Axelsen and eventually lost the match.

However, his recent performances have been promising and that said, let’s take a look at Lee Zii Jia’s projected path to the Indonesia Open 2024 final:

First round: Ng Ka Long Angus

In the first round of the BWF Super 1000 Tournament, Lee Zii Jia will face the world number #21 Ng Ka Long Angus from Hong Kong. Angus performed exceptionally well at the Thailand Open defeating number 1 seed Anders Antonsen, Zhao Junpeng, Lee Chia-hao, and home favourite (the world no. 8) Kunlavut Vitidsarn. However, Lee Zii Jia would be the clear favourite here.

Second round: Weng Hong Yang

The world number #19 from China Weng Hong Yang could be Lee Zii Jia’s potential second-round opponent. 2024 has not been the best year for him. However, his last BWF World Tour tournament win came at the Denmark Open, where he defeated Lee Zii Jia in straight games. Thus, although Lee Zii Jia is the favourite, Weng Hong Yang can’t be counted out.

Quarter-final: Kunlavut Vitidsarn

Kunlavut Vitidsarn from Thailand is ranked just one spot behind Lee Zii Jia in the world rankings. In March 2024, he reached the final of the French Open, where he defeated players like Lakshya Sen, Lee Chun-yi, and Wang Tzu-wei only losing to Shi Yuqi in the final. He is the reigning world champion and has beaten Japan’s Kodai Naraoka in the finals.

Semi-final: Lakshya Sen or Anders Antonsen

Either Lakshya Sen, the world number #14 from India, or Anders Antonsen, the world number #5 from Denmark could be Lee’s potential opponent in the semifinals. Lee defeated Antonsen in the quarterfinals of the Malaysia Masters tournament last month. However, Lee has one loss against Sen this year which came in the quarterfinals of the All England Open.

Final: Shi Yuqi

Lee’s final opponent could be the world number #2 Shi Yuqi from China. Shi Yuqi is in stellar form, having won the Singapore Open just last week where he defeated compatriot Li Shi Feng in the final. For Lee to overcome this final challenge would be a tough job and require him to bring his A-game into play.

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