KUALA LUMPUR: Independent shuttler Lee Zii Jia's bid to become the new world No 2 in men's singles gained momentum when he reached the quarter-finals of the Denmark Open today.
The 24-year-old was in his element as he brushed aside Kanta Tsuneyama of Japan 21-5, 21-19 to set up a last-eight meeting with Indonesia's Jonatan Christie.
Zii Jia will be extra motivated to make a push for the title this week as there's a likelihood for him to climb ahead of Denmark's Anders Antonsen, who's the current world No 2.
Antonsen withdrew from the Super 750 tournament due to injury.
World No 3 Zii Jia is projected to rise by one rung if he makes it to the final in Odense.
Zii Jia, who has yet to drop a game this week, will be aiming to make it three wins on the trot against Jonatan, having last beaten him in the semi-finals of the Asia Championships.
Meanwhile in the mixed doubles, Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie outlasted fellow professionals Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing in a thrilling contest, which saw them brilliantly save four match points to win 18-21, 24-22, 22-20.
Soon Huat-Shevon have now won six out of the eight matches against their rivals.
Soon Huat-Shevon will take on Yuta Watanabe-Arisa Higashino of Japan for a place in the semis tomorrow.
SELECTED RESULTS
DENMARK OPEN
SECOND ROUND
Men's singles: Lee Zii Jia (Mas) bt Kanta Tsuneyama (Jpn) 21-5, 21-9; Jonatan Christie (Ina) bt Lee Cheuk Yiu (Hkg) 17-21, 21-9, 21-19.
Women's singles: Han Yue (Chn) bt Carolina Marin (Spa) 21-15, 22-20; Ratchanok Intanon (Tha) bt Zhang Yi Man (Chn) 21-18, 21-12; Pai Yu Po (Tai) bt Nozomi Okuhara (Jpn) 21-11, 21-19; Tai Tzu Ying (Tai) bt Aya Ohori (Jpn) 21-18, 21-16.
Men's doubles: Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik (Mas) bt Lucas Corvee-Ronan Labar (Fra) 21-13, 21-18.
Mixed doubles: Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie (Mas) bt Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing 18-21, 24-22, 22-20;
WORLD JUNIOR MIXED TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP (SANTANDER, SPAIN)
Playoff tie: Malaysia bt India 3-1 (Justin Hoh bt Ayush Shetty 6-21, 21-12, 21-19; Siti Nurshuhaini Azman lost Anupama Upadhyaya 14-21, 15-21; Fazriq Razif-Wong Vin Sean bt Nicolas Raj-Tushar Suveer 21-9, 21-7; Ong Xin Yee-Carmen Ting bt Isharani Baruah-Devika Sihag 21-10, 14-21, 21-13).