KUCHING: National men’s singles shuttler Eogene Ewe came through two qualifying tests to reach the Australian Badminton Open main draw, while professional Malaysian shuttler Lee Zii Jia moved one win closer in joining him today (June 9).
The world No. 77 had to earn it the hard way.
His day began with a stern examination against American Mark Shelley Alcala, where he found himself a game down before responding in style. Eogene eventually turned the match around to win 18-21, 21-13, 21-11 in a 62-minute battle.
With little time to recover, the 20-year-old returned to court for another test against India’s Manraj Singh.
This time, Eogene wasted no time imposing himself.
The Malaysian controlled the tempo for much of the contest and wrapped up a 21-11, 21-18 victory in 39 minutes, completing a successful day that saw him spend 101 minutes on court.
The result continues a promising season for the youngster, who has steadily climbed the rankings while gaining valuable exposure against higher-level opposition.
While Eogene celebrated qualification, fellow Malaysian Lim Ming Hong saw his campaign come to an end after falling 9-21, 16-21 to India’s Saneeth Dayanand in 30 minutes.
Malaysia’s challenge, however, remains very much alive.
Former All England champion Zii Jia moved within touching distance of the main draw after overcoming Japan’s Shogo Ogawa in a closely contested encounter.
He needed 52 minutes to edge past the Japanese shuttler 24-22, 22-20, holding his nerve in two tight games to keep his campaign alive.
The victory leaves Zii Jia just one win away from joining Eogene in the tournament proper.
Standing in his way is another Japanese opponent, Riki Takei, with a place in the main draw at stake.
The Australian Badminton Open is currently underway from June 9 to 14 at the Quaycentre in Sydney, Australia.
