KUALA LUMPUR – Independent men’s singles shuttler Lee Zii Jia made a premature exit from his quarter-final clash against Canada’s Brian Yang after the first set at the Indonesia Masters today.
Following a 21-14 defeat, the world number 10 was observed stepping off the court and engaging in a conversation with his coach, Wong Tat Meng.
Minutes later, Tat Meng approached the umpire, leading to the official termination of the match, leaving Malaysian badminton fans wondering about the abrupt conclusion at the Istora Senayan stadium in Jakarta.
In a statement from Zii Jia’s official account, @TeamLZJ explained that the 25-year-old was compelled to retire due to a deteriorating physical condition resulting from a severe case of food poisoning over the past couple of days.
“Unfortunately Lee Zii Jia had to retire mid-match as his body conditions deteriorated after a severe case of food poisoning for the past couple of days.
“Zii Jia really tried his best to perform but was unable to complete the match against Brian Yang. Thanks for all the wishes,” read the post.
Despite being optimistic about his prospects in the Super 500 tournament yesterday, Zii Jia’s journey in the Indonesia Masters was cut short.
Notably, he showcased resilience in earlier rounds, defeating India’s Srikanth Kidambi and Hong Kong’s Angus Ng Ka Long.
This marks his second consecutive quarter-final appearance this season, with the previous outing concluding in defeat at the hands of Japan’s Kodai Naraoka in the India Open last week. – January 26, 2024