Zii Jia: 'Always a battle against Kodai san'
KUALA LUMPUR: Lee Zii Jia may have suffered a last-16 exit at the Hylo Open, but he took pride in pushing Japanese Kodai Naraoka to the limit despite battling illness for two days in Saarbrucken, Germany.
Kuala Lumpur - Despite suffering from illness for two days in Germany, Malaysian badminton player Lee Zii Jia demonstrated his resilience by pushing Japanese world No. 9 Kodai Naraoka to the limit in the Hylo Open. The world No. 42, who battled stomach ailments, fever, and chills, fought hard to secure a three-game victory over Singapore's Jason Teh in the first round.
Zii Jia expressed his determination on social media, stating that he was "always a battle against Kodai san." The former All England champion drew inspiration from K-pop star IU and her music during his arduous match against Naraoka. Health concerns, however, forced Zii Jia to withdraw from the upcoming Korea Open, where he was set to participate in the qualifying rounds.
He is now listed as a reserve for the Kumamoto Masters in Japan and the Hong Kong Open. Zii Jia aims to regain full fitness before the Super 300 Syed Modi International in Lucknow.
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