Lee Zii Jia claimed another big name scalp in his blossoming career after beating Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen 21-18, 21-16 to book a quarter-final berth at the Korea Open on Thursday.
The Malaysian has already beaten the likes of Chen Long and Chou Tien-chen this year and can now add Axelsen to that list after a clinical 36-minute victory.
Lee’s reward for the big win is another showdown against world number one and reigning world champion Kento Momota, who beat him at the World Championships quarter-finals en route to retaining his world crown.
It will take a gargantuan effort from the world number 16 to upset the form books, with Momota looking unstoppable on current form.
The recent China Open winner needed only 31 minutes to pack away South Korea’s Kim Dong-hun 21-12, 21-9.
Lee will be the only Malaysian contesting the men’s singles after Liew Daren’s run came to an end with a 17-21, 21-11, 12-21 defeat to Kashyap Parupalli.
He had stunned five-time world champion Lin Dan in the first round but couldn’t build on one of the finest wins of his career against Kashyap, losing for the third consecutive time to the Indian.
It was also a third loss this year for men’s doubles Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong against Indonesian duo Marcus Fernaldi-Kevin Sanjaya as they bowed out with a limp 9-21, 20-22 loss.
Goh-Tan looked to have found some rhythm after clinching the Chinese Taipei Open title a fortnight ago, but they were derailed by this pair in quick succession.
The Malaysians also lost to the top seeds at the China Open last week and Malaysian Masters in January.
But Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzudin ensured Malaysia will be represented in the men’s doubles after they beat team-mates Chooi Kah Ming-Low Juan Shen 19-21, 21-18, 21-15.
Goh-Nur will now go on to face Korea’s Choi Solgyu-Seo Seung-jae in the last eight.
