Despite Shaky Display, Lee Zii Jia Survives Opening Thailand Open Qualification Hurdle

May 12, 2026, 8:47 AM CUT

240502 -- CHENGDU, May 2, 2024 -- Lee Zii Jia of Malaysia celebrates scoring while competing against Nishimoto Kenta of Japan in the singles match of the quarterfinal between Japan and Malaysia at BWF Thomas Cup Finals in Chengdu, southwest China s Sichuan Province, May 2, 2024. SPCHINA-CHENGDU-BADMINTON-THOMAS CUP-JPN VS MASCN JiaxHaocheng PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxCHN

Independent men's singles shuttler Lee Zii Jia started his Thailand Open campaign on the right foot today, May 12. Playing at the Nimibutr Stadium in Bangkok, Zii Jia cleared the first of two qualifying hurdles. He defeated India's Manav Choudhary, ranked 294th in the world, with a score of 21-19, 21-18. The match lasted 31 minutes.

However, the victory wasn't entirely smooth. Zii Jia had a shaky start to the match. He struggled with his rhythm and kept making a high number of unforced errors. These mistakes allowed Choudhary to stay competitive and keep the scores tight throughout both games.

Despite the early nerves, Zii Jia managed to pull through. This win is significant as it keeps his recent momentum alive. He is now one step closer to the main draw of the Super 500 tournament. To get there, he must win his next match. He will face either Indonesia's Muhamad Yusuf or Taiwan's Liao Jhuo Fu.

Zii Jia's Performance at the Thomas Cup 2026

The Thailand Open run comes straight off the back of a strong showing in Horsens, Denmark. Zii Jia led Malaysia's charge as the first singles player at the 2026 Thomas Cup. He walked into the tournament under pressure, still trying to rebuild after an injury-hit 2025 season.

He delivered in every tie. Three matches, three wins, no hiccups. He beat England's Nadeem Dalvi 21-13, 21-11. He edged past Finland's Ananda Galvani Daniswara 21-19, 21-10. And he capped his group stage with a 21-13, 21-19 win over Japan's Koki Watanabe.

Each win gave Malaysia a 1-0 lead in their ties. That took pressure off the doubles pairs and the younger singles players like Justin Hoh. Malaysia eventually bowed out in the quarter-finals. But Zii Jia's unbeaten personal record was the bright spot of the campaign.

His explosive backhand smashes were back. His defence looked sharper. His movement seemed sharper too. The reward came in the BWF rankings. He jumped 15 spots to World No. 67. More importantly, he looked fit, focused and dangerous again. Denmark gave him belief. Now Bangkok is where he tries to build on it.

Written by

Sahil Prashar

Edited by

Sahil Prashar