The 2024 Denmark Open has suffered a significant blow with the withdrawal of last year’s finalist, Lee Zii Jia. The Malaysian shuttler has been forced to pull out of the tournament due to an ankle injury.
Lee was slated to face Kenta Nishimoto in the first round, aiming to improve on his runner-up finish from the previous year. However, his injury has forced him to withdraw from the competition.
As a result of Lee’s withdrawal, Anthony Sinisuka Ginting, the tournament’s eighth seed, will now take his place. The Indonesian has a strong head-to-head record against Nishimoto, leading 8-4.
Another notable change in the draw sees 2024 Arctic Open champion Chou Tien Chen facing his compatriot, Wang Tzu Wei, in the opening round.
Denmark’s home hopes will be pinned on Mads Christophersen, who has been promoted to the main draw following Lee’s withdrawal.
In addition to Lee, the 2023 world champions, Kang Min Hyuk and Seo Seung Jae, have also withdrawn from the tournament. Other withdrawals and promotions include:
Withdrawals:
- Men’s Singles: Kantaphon Wangcharoen
- Men’s Doubles: Kang/Seo
- Mixed Doubles: Roy King Yap/Valeree Siow
Promotions:
- Men’s Singles: Sathish Kumar Karunakaran, Mads Christophersen
- Men’s Doubles: Kittinupong Kedren/Dechapol Puavaranukroh
- Mixed Doubles: Alexander Dunn/Julie Macpherson
Photo: Free Malaysia Today
