KUALA LUMPUR: There is only one thing on Lee Chong Wei's mind and that is to regain his lost confidence.
At the Japan Open on Thursday, the former world No 1 reached the men's singles quarter-finals when he saw off Indonesia's Tommy Sugiarto 22-20, 21-17 in the second round at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium.
The 35-year-old, playing in his first tournament since his shock first round exit at the World Championships in Glasgow last month, will next take on Taiwan's Chou Tien Chen on Friday.
“I can't think of anything else, except to regain my confidence on court. It felt like I lost everything when I crashed out in the first round of the World Championships last month.
“I must admit, my body is not in its best condition but I am slowly trying to improve.
“In my first match (against Hong Kong's Vincent Wong on Wednesday), my body was very stiff. Today, it felt a little better.
“Hopefully, it improves as I continue playing. Having said that, I still need more confidence; I have lost too much of it,” said Chong Wei.
Meanwhile, in the men's doubles, Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi continued their impressive run with a 21-18, 21-12 upset over eighth seeds Lee Jhe Huei-Lee Yang of Taiwan.
The Kuala Lumpur Sea Games (KL2017) silver medallists - who will be split to scratch with 2016 Rio Olympic Games runners-up Tan Wee Kiong and Goh V Shem, respectively, after this - will play Japan's Takuto Inoue-Yuki Kaneko next for a place in the semi-finals.
It was, however, the end of the road for women's singles Soniia Cheah, who crashed out in the quarter-finals after going down 21-14, 21-14 to American Zhang Beiwen.
Mixed doubles Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie were also shown the exit in the last eight stage by Japan's Takuro Hoki-Sayaka Hirota 21-16, 23-25, 22-20.