KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 11 — National men’s singles shuttler Leong Jun Hao ended his losing streak to compatriot Lee Zii Jia in style at the Hong Kong Open on Wednesday.
World number 23 Jun Hao – who has lost three times to Zii Jia, including at the 2023 Arctic Open when they last met – marked his first-ever win over the world number 47 with a 21-16, 21-16 opening-round victory at the Hong Kong Coliseum.
Zii Jia began aggressively in the opening game with his trademark powerful smashes, but he fluffed his line by sending too many shots out to give Jun Hao a 21-16 win.
Despite Zii Jia turning on the screw in the second game, Jun Hao managed to maintain the momentum and seal victory.
Jun Hao’s second-round opponent will be either Malaysia’s Justin Hoh or eighth-seeded Toma Junior Popov of France.
Meanwhile, Justin ensured an all-Malaysian second-round clash with Jun Hao after a stunning win over the eighth-seeded Popov.
The unseeded Justin produced an assured performance to dispose of the Frenchman 21-12, 21-17 in 43 minutes.
