Malaysia’s men’s singles shuttler Lee Zii Jia was made to work hard for 61 minutes before sealing his place in the main draw of the 2026 Australian Open Badminton Championships today.
Zii Jia, who competed in the qualifying round, was pushed to the limit by Japan’s Riki Takei before emerging victorious 16-21, 21-17, 21-15 in a tightly contested three-set battle.
The former 2024 Australian Open champion, currently ranked world No. 64, struggled in the opening game but showed resilience to bounce back strongly in the second and third sets.
Despite the tough challenge, the professional shuttler maintained composure to secure the win and continue his campaign in the Super 500 tournament held in Sydney.
The victory confirms his spot in the main draw, where he will face Taiwan’s world No. 34 Lee Chia Hao in the next round.
The Sydney event also serves as an important platform for Zii Jia to assess his fitness level following his absence from the recent Malaysia Masters.
Meanwhile, fellow Malaysian men’s singles player Eogene Ewe also advanced to the next round after defeating India’s Manraj Singh in straight sets, 21-11, 21-18.
However, Eogene faces a tough challenge ahead as he prepares to meet eighth seed Lee Cheuk Yiu of Hong Kong in the opening round.
