BADMINTON fans will get a treat next week as Lee Zii Jia and Leong Jun Hao face off in the opening round of the Hong Kong Open — but national coaching director Kenneth Jonassen isn’t thrilled about the all-Malaysian clash.
World No. 23 Jun Hao has been drawn against world No. 47 Zii Jia in their first meeting since the 2024 Australian Open.
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Zii Jia, still on the comeback trail after a right ankle injury, made his competitive return at last week’s World Championships in Paris but fell in the first round. He holds a 3-0 head-to-head record over BAM shuttler Jun Hao.
“I don’t see any positives in two countrymen playing each other in a first-round match. Not a good start for both players,“ Jonassen told New Straits Times.
Jun Hao will also be eager to rebound after bowing out in the second round to Japan’s world No. 11 Kenta Nishimoto in Paris.
Jonassen is also keeping tabs on rising talents Justin Hoh and K. Letshanaa, who face challenging early matches in Hong Kong.
Justin, ranked world No. 39, will first take on world No. 372 Teh Jin Hong in the qualifiers before a potential clash against India’s former world No. 1 K. Srikanth.
“Justin has another potential good test, which will be an interesting challenge.
“It is also going to be a good opportunity for Letshanaa to build on her development, and it will be good to see how she progresses in Hong Kong.
“It is also going to be a good opportunity for Letshanaa to build on her development, and it will be good to see how she progresses in Hong Kong,“ Jonassen added.
Despite letting an 18-2 lead slip against Sindhu in Paris before losing 21-19, 21-15, the 22-year-old proved she can trouble top-20 opponents.
A potential duel with second seed Han Yue will provide Letshanaa with a valuable benchmark to gauge her progress against the world’s best.