End of the road for Tze Yong at All England

 

Ng Tze Yong lost 21-11, 21-11 to Li Shi Feng in a match that lasted just 41 minutes. (BAM Facebook pic)

PETALING JAYA: National shuttler Ng Tze Yong’s outstanding run at the All England badminton championship in Birmingham has come to an end.

He was knocked out in the quarterfinals by China’s Li Shi Feng, who easily overcame the Malaysian with a 21-11, 21-11 victory that was accomplished in just 41 minutes, Bernama reported.

This is the fourth time that Tze Yong, who is ranked 28th in the world, had failed to defeat Shi Feng since they first met in 2017.

Shi Feng, who is ranked 14, will meet Denmark’s Anders Antonsen in the semifinals.

Tze Yong had achieved a shock win over world number one Viktor Axelsen in the previous round to get to the quarterfinals.

The loss leaves Lee Zii Jia as the sole Malaysian representative in the semifinals of the All England, after his victory over Japan’s Kodai Naraoka 21-9, 10-21, 21-13 last night.

World No 4 Zii Jia will next face Shi Yu Qi of China, who easily defeated compatriot Weng Hong Yang 21-9, 21-16.

Since winning the Thailand Open in May last year, Zii Jia has not won a title or progressed beyond the second round in other tournaments.

Zii Jia’s 2023 season saw him exit early in all four championships he had participated in. - FMT