Ayush Shetty downs recovering Olympic bronze medallist Lee Zii Jia in Malaysia Open

Zii Jia, once a formidable aggressor with an attack of note, was known to come into the year’s first Super 1000 with his fitness a little off-key. But his ability to flip a match is well known. His attack is weakened, but the point-construction muscle memory is intact.

Twenty-year-old Ayush had done well to take the opener at the famous Axiata arena, always keeping the lead in a first set canter. The Indian even started the second well with a 6-3 lead, but Zii Jia went on a four-point rally and declared his intent to stay dangerous, often showing the capability to bridge gaps. It was at 10-10 that the Malaysian visibly moved a gear.

The compulsive comebacks seemed to be annoying the Indian who went hyper aggressive in attacking Zii Jia on the body. In what would count as the moment of the match, never mind the result, the 27-year-old, dug out two retrieves from smashes aimed at his torso. The first, Ayush tried to smother with another aimed at Zii Jia’s ribs. The second, the Malaysian sent straight in an evasive action, and it completely boggled the Indian who was pinned on the opposite side.

Zii Jia took the mid set lead at 11-10 – a potential turning point.

It was a lesson – early in Ayush’s career, early in this season too: attacks emanating from head-rushes like this, can turn on him, and give the opponent a toehold. He did well from then on to use positioning alongwith power to scatter the shuttle, and not allow himself to get dragged into needless fast parallels. He had enough sting in another aspect of his game – his net tipples – to waste breath on brandishing his big power game which he used with discretion.

The 6-ft-4 stuck to setting the Malaysian poking net riddles from there on, with his no-frills tumbles, forcing errors. He flipped the impatience-game on the Malaysian whose lifts to open the court and prolong the rally lay dumped in the net. With those unfancy net pickings he wet from 10-12 down to 14-12 up, showing his own resilience.

All this time, and even in the first set, Ayush had struck a good containing length on the shuttle that prevented Zii Jia from attacking. His injury was anyway a detriment.

Things got ticklish at 15-17, as the Malaysian pushing for a decider, tried to press his advantage egged on by the home crowd carrying, “Keep Fighting Lee Zii Jia” banners. But Ayush knows how to finish, without a song and dance. He survived the parallel exchanges, and then used his net poise superbly to take a 19-17 lead.

Zii Jia attempted to send the shuttles back, but the Indian was there in one diagonal step, pulling the bird from the corners back into play, and using the Malaysian’s lack of sharpness at the net to collect points. Finally and inside of 40 minutes, Zii Jia sent the shuttle wide to give the Indian, ranked No 32, a brilliant start to the year.

The Malaysian told The Star newspaper he had expected Ayush to pose a tough challenge. “I’m not satisfied with my performance today. I’m still not 100 percent yet in terms of match fitness. I knew it was not going to be easy to play against the Indian. His results last year were good. He’s a rising star.” He admitted that his second set tactics-switch hadn’t exactly worked. “I tried to change tactics in the second game but it was still not good enough to win,” he added.

A good start it might’ve been but Ayush now immediately runs into Chinese World No 1 Shi Yuqi.

Lakshya Sen too advanced to the second round with a hard fought win over Singaporean Jia Heng Jason Teh, ranked No 21. He won 21-16, 15-21, 21-14 needing 70 minutes. Sen plays Lee Cheuk Yiu. Malvika Bansod, though, lost 21-11, 21-11 to Ratchanok Intanon.