KUALA LUMPUR – Independent national men’s singles player Lee Zii Jia is hoping to regain his confidence by excelling in the upcoming Badminton Asia Championships (BAC), scheduled to take place in Ningbo, China, from today until April 14.
The 25-year-old, who was a gold medalist in the 2022 edition in Manila, said that the BAC tournament was a game-changer for him that year, helping him succeed in subsequent tournaments.
“I have won a BAC title before with no expectations, and I started gaining confidence that year after the tournament.
“After winning the BAC, I also excelled in tournaments like the Thomas Cup and the Thailand Open, where I played really well that year.
“In these two years, I have been struggling to find my confidence.
“I don’t know how long it will take for me to regain my confidence, and I hope I can find something positive in this tournament,” said Zii Jia in a podcast with Shuttlehard Malaysia.
The Kedahan will face India’s Priyanshu Rajawat in the first round tomorrow.
Barring any upsets, the former All England champion will face either Chinese Taipei’s Chou Tien Chen or China’s Weng Hong Yang in the second round.
With the absence of Ng Tze Yong, Zii Jia stands as Malaysia’s sole representative in the men’s singles event at the BAC and is also the only Malaysian men’s singles player to qualify for the Paris Olympics this year.
In the men’s doubles, former world champions Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik are also fired up to make an impact after reaching the All-England final last month.
Currently ranked number five in the world, the 2022 finalists will take on India’s H. Amsakarunan and R.K. Rethinasabapathi and are only expected to be tested in the quarter-finals, where they will likely face the seventh seeds, Liu Yu Chen and Ou Xuan Yi of China. – April 9, 2024