World No. 7 Lee Zii Jia started his Paris Olympics journey with a comfortable victory over Sri Lanka’s Viren Nettasinghe, winning 21-14, 21-12 in just 35 minutes. Zii Jia described the match as a good start and expressed hope for improvement as the competition progresses.
“I’m happy to win my first match in this Olympics. It is a good start for me. What I achieved was expected here against a lower-ranked opponent. Hopefully, things will get better from here on. I will stay calm and avoid putting unnecessary pressure on myself,” Zii Jia told BWF after the match.
He noted that the energetic atmosphere of the packed venue in Paris is a significant change from Tokyo, with the enthusiastic crowd making the experience unique.
“The difference between Tokyo and here (Paris) is definitely the audience. I can feel the vibe, and the environment here is very good. The stadium is full and it is a good sign for our support. The fans were amazing and incredibly loud. I couldn’t even hear the umpire during the match. It’s different, but we all have to adapt,” he said.
Zii Jia will have a break before facing world no.62, Pablo Abian from Spain in his final group match on Wednesday, July 31, 2024.
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