KUALA LUMPUR: World No 10 Lee Zii Jia suffered yet another demoralising early exit after falling in the first round of the Singapore Open yesterday.
The 25-year-old fought for 74 minutes before losing 22-20, 16-21, 21-19 to China's Weng Hong Yang, the Malaysia Masters runner-up a fortnight ago.
Zii Jia had only himself to blame after squandering a commanding 6-2 lead in the rubber game.
Trailing 12-11, Hong Yang stepped up his game to claim four straight points to open up a sizeable 16-12 advantage.
Zii Jia tried to chase, but all he could manage was narrow the deficit to 20-19 before Hong Yang held his nerves to convert his very first match point.
It was Hong Yang's first win over Zii Jia after having lost tamely to the latter in the semi-finals of the Badminton Asia Championships, which was the first meeting between them at that time.
For Zii Jia, he has now lost in the opening round for the third time this year, the other two being at the Malaysia Open in January and Badminton Asia Championships in April.
All in all, Zii Jia has failed to make it to at least the quarter-finals in seven out of the nine tournaments he entered this year.
This record does not augur well for Zii Jia as it could see him continue to slide down the world rankings.
In the women's singles, Goh Jin Wei was also sent packing early following a 21-11, 21-11 loss to China's Wang Zhi Yi, whom she defeated en route to winning the 2018 Youth Olympics gold medal in Buenos Aires.
Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei delivered a piece of good news from the mixed doubles competition when they defeated Japan's Kyohei Yamashita-Naru Shinoya 21-19, 21-11 to reach the last 16. Up next for them are Dutch pair Robin Tabeling-Selena Piek.
SELECTED RESULTS
Men's singles: Anthony Ginting (Ina) bt Angus Ng (Hkg) 21-15, 24-22; Loh Kean Yew (Sin) bt Lee Cheuk Yiu (Hkg) 21-19, 21-19; Weng Hong Yang (Chn) 22-20, 16-21, 21-19.
Women's singles: Wang Zhi Yi (Chn) bt Goh Jin Wei (Mas) 21-11, 21-11; Yeo Jia Min (Sin) bt Zhang Yi Man (Chn) 21-18, 21-14; An Se Young (Kor) bt Kim Ga Eun (Kor) 21-16, 21-16.
Mixed doubles: Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei (Mas) bt Kyohei Yamashita-Naru Shinoya (Jpn) 21-19, 21-11.