Malaysia’s Lee Zii Jia continued his impressive run at the Arctic Open in Finland after defeating Taiwan’s Su Li Yang in straight games to reach the quarter-finals on Thursday.
The professional men’s singles player secured a 21-17, 21-12 victory in 46 minutes to book his place among the tournament’s last eight.
Zii Jia started aggressively with his fast-paced game and attacking shots, although Li Yang put up a strong fight to keep the opening game competitive.
After taking an 11-9 lead, the Malaysian gradually extended his advantage before closing out the first game 21-17.
Zii Jia stepped up his performance in the second game, controlling the court more comfortably and producing a more organised attacking display.
Despite Li Yang’s attempts to turn the match around, Zii Jia remained composed and maintained control before sealing the game 21-12 to complete the straight-games victory.
The win extends Zii Jia’s positive run at the tournament after he defeated China’s Dong Tian Yao in the opening round.
However, a tougher challenge awaits in the quarter-finals, where he is scheduled to face second seed Christo Popov of France.
Zii Jia can draw confidence from their previous meetings, having won both of their two encounters against Popov.
Having progressed from the qualifying rounds to the quarter-finals, Zii Jia will be looking to maintain his momentum and push further in the Arctic Open.
