KUALA LUMPUR: World No. 4 Lee Zii Jia is regaining his confidence after recent setbacks, as the defending champion targets a semi-final berth at the Arctic Open in Vantaa, Finland, today.
Zii Jia, who is probably fond of cooler climates, said that he enjoys the cold conditions in Finland, which may be helping him rediscover his form.
Yesterday, the shuttler booked his place in the quarter-finals with a 21-11, 21-18 win over Japan's world No. 30 Yushi Tanaka in 42 minutes — marking his first last-eight run since claiming an Olympic bronze at the Paris Games in August.
Following his triumph in Paris, Zii Jia endured a dip in form with first-round exits at both the Japan Open and China Open.
His impressive run in Finland is a sign that Malaysia's No. 1 is rediscovering his form.
He will face world No. 14 Koki Watanabe later tonight, seeking to avenge his first-round loss to the Japanese player at the China Open three weeks ago.
"I think I played well today, and it's great to be in the quarter-finals again," Zii Jia told reporters.
"Mentally and physically, I'm feeling good."
Zii Jia, who has competed at the Arctic Open for the past three years, added: "There are a lot of good memories here, and I also love the weather."
His commanding performance against Tanaka could signal the start of another successful autumn campaign for the Malaysian star.