KUALA LUMPUR, July 14 (Bernama) -- Professional men's singles player Lee Zii Jia has been no stranger to controversy since winning the All England 2021 in Birmingham, England.
From his decision to leave the Badminton Association of Malaysia in early 2022, to his withdrawal from the 2022 Commonwealth Games, and his acceptance of an 'image rights' payment to join the national squad for the 2024 Thomas Cup in Chengdu, China, Zii Jia has frequently been the subject of criticism, particularly from the local media.
Following his elimination in the round of 16 by Chinese champion Chen Long at his debut Olympic appearance in Tokyo 2020, attention is once again focused on the world number seven as he prepares for the 2024 edition in Paris.
Whether he continues to face criticism or receives praise will depend on Zii Jia’s ability to deliver captivating performances that can mesmerise millions of Malaysians when he competes in Paris.
Malaysia's chef de mission for the Paris 2024 Olympics, Datuk Hamidin Mohd Amin, said in a recent meeting with the 26-year-old player, Zii Jia aims to surprise everyone at the competition, which will be held at the Porte de la Chapelle Arena from July 27 to Aug 5.
Hope is certainly high for the player from Kedah to shine in Paris after he clinched titles at both the Thailand Open in May 2024 and the Australian Open last month.
The spirit of the 2022 Badminton Asia Championships winner is undoubtedly burning bright, especially after receiving a favourable draw for the group stage at the 2024 Olympics.
Zii Jia leads Group G alongside Sri Lanka's world number 72, Viren Nettansinghe, and Spain's world number 63, Pablo Abian.
Based on their head-to-head records, Zii Jia has never faced Nettansinghe, and he cannot underestimate Abian, who once pushed him to a rubber set before Zii Jia won 21-11, 21-23, 24-22 in the first round of the Hylo Open 2021 in Germany.
Should he succeed in topping the group stage, Zii Jia's real challenge will come in the knockout stage, where he is expected to face a potential early showdown with Indonesia's Anthony Sinisuka Ginting (world number nine) in the round of 16.
The 2019 SEA Games gold medalist is set to face his close friend and world number four, Anders Antonsen from Denmark. Following that, he may encounter the top seed from China, Shi Yu Qi, in the semifinals, with defending champion Viktor Axelsen from Denmark potentially awaiting him in the final.
Despite his impressive performance leading up to Paris 2024, Zii Jia needs to further elevate his game and maintain consistency to overcome top challengers like Yu Qi and Axelsen.
He also needs to stay focused and avoid making simple mistakes that could derail his progress and hinder his chances of advancing further in the Olympics.
In his last encounter with Yu Qi during the semifinals of the 2024 Thomas Cup, Zii Jia put up a strong fight but lost the first set 19-21. His performance then deteriorated, resulting in a 5-21 defeat, allowing China to advance to the final by defeating Malaysia 3-1.
Zii Jia has won only three out of seven matches against Axelsen, with their most recent meeting in the final of the Malaysia Masters 2024 in May, where the Danish player triumphed 21-6, 20-22, 21-13.
In addition to his extensive court experience, Zii Jia brings a distinctive approach to elevating his country's standing at Paris 2024.
Zii Jia has chosen to complete his training in Singapore under the guidance of Wong Tat Meng, known for nurturing South Korea's women's singles world number one, An Se Young. During this period, he has been sparring with two world champions: Loh Kean Yew (2021) from Singapore, Kunlavut Vitidsarn (2023) from Thailand, as well as Lee Cheuk Yiu from Hong Kong.
With meticulous planning and strategic preparation by Zii Jia and his team, could this be the perfect opportunity for him to silence his critics by securing the gold for his country at the 2024 Olympics?
PROFILE
Name: Lee Zii Jia
Age: 26 years old
Place of Birth: Kedah
Height: 186 centimetres
World Ranking: 7th
Highest Ranking: 2nd (October 2022)
Among his notable achievements:
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