Lee Zii Jia’s hopes of ending his World Tour title drought were dashed after he crashed out in the semi-finals of the 2026 Canadian Open in Markham, Ontario, on Sunday.
In a tightly contested 70-minute battle at the Markham Pan Am Centre, the national men’s singles professional struggled to contain the aggressive play of Japan’s Riki Takei, going down 13-21 in the opening set.
Zii Jia, however, showed resilience in the second set, bouncing back to claim it 21-18 and force a deciding game.
Despite the fightback, the Malaysian shuttler eventually lost 18-21 in the final set, marking his first defeat to Takei after previously beating him at the 2026 Australian Open last month.
The Olympic bronze medallist at Paris 2024 continues to chase his first title since winning the 2024 Australian Open, despite consistently strong performances on the international stage.
Following the semi-final exit, his management team TeamLZJ said on social media that there were still many positive aspects to build on as he prepares for the upcoming tournaments in the season.
