Japan Open: Tze Yong Stuns Kean Yew, Zii Jia Crashes Out

KUALA LUMPUR, July 26 (Bernama) -- National men’s singles player, Ng Tze Yong has successfully moved to the second round after creating an upset over former world champion, Loh Kean Yew of Singapore in the first round of the Japan Open 2023 in Tokyo, today.

The unseeded Tze Yong took 41 minutes to send Kean Yew, seventh seeded, packing, 21-16, 21-17, in the tournament held in Yoyogi First Gymnasium.

Tze Yong will next meet Koki Watanabe of Japan who came from behind to slay another former world champion and compatriot, Kento Momota, 13-21, 21-16, 21-13.

This was Tze Yong’s second victory over Kean Yew following his rubber set win, 15-21, 21-14, 21-11, in the 2022 Commonwealth Games quarter final.

In the meantime, professional men’s singles shuttler, Lee Zii Jia endured his fourth straight opening round exit, this time at the hands of defending champion from Japan, Kenta Nishimoto, 22-20, 17-21, 19-21.

Nishimoto will take on third seed Kunlavut Vitidsarn after the Thai player prevailed against Taiwan’s Wang Tzu Wei, 21-5, 21-16.

Another independent shuttler, Cheam June Wei was totally outplayed by Indonesia’s Jonatan Christie, 7-21, 9-21, in just 28 minutes.

Meanwhile, national men’s doubles duo, Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani earned the second round spot as they got the better of home duo, Ayato Endo-Yuta Takei, 21-18, 21-15.

Eighth seeds, Liu Yu Chen-Ou Xuan Yi await Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin next after the Chinese duo edged home pair, Keiichiro Matsui-Yoshinori Takeuchi, 21-18, 25-23.

-- BERNAMA