KUALA LUMPUR – Lee Zii Jia’s triumph in the men’s singles category to reach the Malaysia Masters semi-finals today came with a hefty price tag, as he experienced full body cramps immediately following the match.
Zii Jia faced a formidable challenge against his close friend Anders Antonsen in today’s quarter-finals.
Despite a gruelling battle lasting over an hour, Zii Jia emerged victorious with a score of 21-15, 19-21, 21-11.
While ending his four-year wait to progress to the semis on home turf brought joy, it was short-lived as Zii Jia was swiftly rushed to the National Sports Institute (NSI) after suffering from full-body cramps.
Zii Jia’s team manager sister Lee Zii Yii addressed the media about the player’s condition post-match.
“After the second set, Zii Jia signalled for medical assistance on the court due to complaints of tightness and fatigue.
“In addition, having just returned from the Thailand Open and facing a tough match against Indian player Kiran George yesterday, he was already battling fatigue and the onset of cramps.
“He experienced cramps while standing and even while seated, prompting us to contact NSI urgently for treatment before their closing hours,” said Zii Yii.
However, Zii Yii was unable to provide any comments or immediate reactions from Zii Jia following his victory over Antonsen.
It is understood that Zii Jia was accompanied by his coach Wong Tat Meng to receive an ice bath treatment at NSI to alleviate the cramping.
Meanwhile, Zii Yii expressed uncertainty about Zii Jia’s participation in tomorrow’s semi-finals, considering his upcoming commitments in the Singapore Open next week followed by the Indonesia Open.
“We’re doing everything we can to facilitate his recovery. However, at this moment, we’ll have to wait and see.
“He just finished his match, so we can’t really give any further update about his condition.
“We’ll reassess his condition tomorrow morning after he wakes up and undergoes a thorough evaluation with our physiotherapist,” she added. – May 24, 2024