IN a surprising turn of events at the Japan Open 2024, Lee Zii Jia, the world No. 6 in men’s singles, was knocked out in the opening round by France’s Alex Lanier.
The match saw Zii Jia fall to Lanier with scores of 18-21, 13-21 in 41-minutes during the Super 750 tournament held in Yokohama Arena.
The unexpected defeat comes on the heels of Zii Jia’s recent bronze medal win at the Paris Olympic Games.
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Despite his significant achievement, the Malaysian shuttler appeared to struggle with maintaining his top form, attributing his performance to physical exhaustion.
Taking to Instagram after the match, Zii Jia shared insights into his condition.
“Hi guys, I have been feeling physically weak for the past few days since coming back from the Olympics, but skipping tournaments was not in the plan as long as I feel it would not harm me,” he wrote.
He further elaborated on his struggle during the match, stating, “I tried my best and fought through the match just now, but my body didn’t allow me to perform to the best of my abilities.”
He expressed his focus on recovery and future events stating, “Looking forward for a good rest and recovery for upcoming tournaments.”
