Malaysia's Lee Zii Jia into badminton round of 16 after powering ...

Malaysia’s badminton superstar Lee Zii Jia has advanced to the round of 16 in the men’s singles at Paris 2024.

The 26-year-old pride of Malaysia faced a winner-takes-all tie against Spain’s Pablo Abian in Group G and came through 21-10, 21-13 on Wednesday (31 July).

The round of 16 takes place on Thursday (1 August), with Lee the seventh seed.

Lee had ample recovery time having played his first match on Sunday, which he won convincingly 21-14, 21-12 against Viren Nettasinghe.

Malaysia’s flagbearer from Tokyo 2020 had told Olympics.com after that opening win that he “dreams to be on the podium of the Olympics”.

He added: “So I think for now I just try to calm down myself and don't put too much pressure or nervousness to myself.”

And he will take great confidence going into the knockouts from Wednesday’s win over Abian, the experienced 39-year-old Spaniard who was competing at his fifth Olympics.

For Lee it was a second Olympics, three years on from exiting in the round of 16, and he impressed from the off against Abian.

Lee rattled off eight straight points to take the first game in commanding fashion 21-10, but faced a sterner test thereafter.

Abian got the crowd behind him as he took a 9-7 and then 10-8 lead inside a packed La Chapelle Arena, but from there on it was Lee who took control and never looked back once 12-11 up.