Tze Yong targets Olympics after ousting former world champ

KUALA LUMPUR: Shuttler Ng Tze Yong has made clear his intent to qualify for next year's Paris Olympics.

The world No 21 justified his claim by stunning former world champion Loh Kean Yew of Singapore in the opening round of the Super 750 Japan Open on Wednesday.

Just a week after losing to the Penang-born Singaporean in the quarter-finals of the Korea Open, Tze Yong bounced back to score a brilliant 21-16, 21-17 upset in just 41 minutes at the Yoyogi National Gymnasium in Tokyo.

The last time Tze Yong got the better of Kean Yew was in the last eight of the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games.

In his post-match interview, Tze Yong. who has already made five quarter-final appearances this season, said: "My game today was not bad.

"Perhaps I was a little confused because I couldn't score some points in the early stages. Overall, I was braver and took my chances.

"Yes, I want to qualify for the Olympics, but I know the journey is still long.

"I will continue to fight hard for it."

Tze Yong will play two-time former world champion Kento Momota of Japan or his compatriot Koki Watanabe in the second round on Thursday.

Meanwhile, it was heartbreak again for Malaysia's Lee Zii Jia, who suffered yet another first-round exit.

Zii Jia, who dropped down to No 18 in the world this week, lost 20-22, 21-17, 21-19 to defending champion Kenta Nishimoto of Japan.

It is Zii Jia's ninth early exit of the season from 11 World Tour events.

World No 11 Nishimoto will play Thai ace Kunlavut Vitidsarn next for a place in the quarter-finals.