KUALA LUMPUR – Independent men’s singles player Lee Zii Jia emphasised that he must be in top form and overcome injuries in the upcoming tournaments for his bid to reach this year’s Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Tour Finals.
The 26-year-old, currently ranked world number six, must maintain his ranking within the top eight by December to qualify for the tournament, scheduled to take place in Hangzhou, China.
The Super 1000 China Open marked Zii Jia’s first tournament in nearly a month, following his first-round loss at the Japan Open.
He opted to skip the South Korea and Hong Kong Opens, citing mental and physical exhaustion from his Paris Olympics campaign.
His next tournament will be the Arctic Open in Finland next week.
Zii Jia said that he has recovered from the minor injuries sustained during the China Open and will monitor his physical condition closely to avoid major injuries before the World Tour Finals.
“I will need to compete in all the tournaments to maintain my world ranking, and as long as my condition is okay, I will keep playing.
“Fortunately, it wasn’t a major injury, just a minor one that I have to keep monitoring. I need to manage it as best I can while continuing to compete and fight for the World Tour Finals.
“I’ve had several minor injuries – elbow, back, and recently my knee – but I will still continue to compete,” said Zii Jia when met at the 100Plus incentive ceremony at the National Sports Council in Bukit Jalil today.
At the same time, Zii Jia expressed his hope to repeat his success at this year’s Arctic Open by winning the title for a second consecutive year. Last year, Zii Jia clinched the title by defeating compatriot Ng Tze Yong 21-14, 21-15 in the final.
“I hope I can repeat what I achieved last year, in Finland and Denmark (Denmark Open runner-up). It’s important not just for my achievements and results, but also for ranking points, as well as for my coaches and physio,” he added.
The Kedahan received a RM100,000 incentive from 100Plus for his bronze medal-winning performance at the Paris Olympics, while national doubles players Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik were rewarded with RM150,000. – October 3, 2024