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KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s new badminton star Lee Zii Jia has distanced himself from being labeled the successor to legendary Shuttler Lee Chong Wei following his triumphant victory at the All England Open last Sunday.
Speaking to reporters in a group interview via Zoom on Thursday (March 25), the 22-year-old emphasized that he looked forward to charting his own journey in his badminton career and downplayed comparisons with fellow countrymen Lee Chong Wei.
“I just want to be myself, and not compare myself to Lee Chong Wei because his achievements are unshakeable, his record is unshakeable, he is a legend. So I have my own journey, I have my own story to tell. I have to focus on that, ”he said.
Lee Zii Jia’s magnificent victory, in a tournament in which he was seeded sixth, drew applause in Malaysia from politicians, athletes and netizens.
In a Facebook post, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin called him a “national hero” and encouraged him to use victory to propel him further towards future success.
Malaysia’s Lee Zii Jia poses with the winner’s trophy alongside Denmark’s runner-up Viktor Axelsen after the men’s singles final on the final day of the All England Open Badminton Championship at the Utilita Arena in Birmingham, central England, on 21st March 2021. (Photo: AFP / Adrian Dennis)
In Sunday’s game, Lee Zii Jia claimed the title after defeating defending champion Viktor Axelsen of Denmark 30-29, 20-22, 21-9 in an epic final in Birmingham.
On the way to the title, Lee Zii Jia also beat two-time world champion from Japan, Kento Momota, in the quarterfinals in a thrilling marathon match.
It was Lee Zii Jia’s first title in three years, the last being the 2018 China Taipei Open. He now ranks eighth in the world.
EMULATING LEE CHONG WEI A “MISSION IMPOSSIBLE”
However, Lee Zii Jia believed that his achievements still paled in comparison to Lee Chong Wei, who has won four All England titles and three Olympic silver medals in his illustrious career.
Malaysia’s Lee Chong Wei reacts after winning against China’s Lin Dan during the men’s singles semi-final at the 2016 Rio Olympics (Photo: GOH Chai Hin / AFP)
Lee Chong Wei, who retired from professional badminton in 2019, reportedly said that Lee Zii Jia’s performance at the All England Open could be a sign of more important things to come for Malaysia at the upcoming Tokyo Summer Olympics.
“If Zii Jia can play like this in the Olympics, then surely he is a contender for a medal,” Lee Chong Wei told the New Straits Times.
When a reporter quoted Lee Chong Wei’s comments during Thursday’s interview, the young traveler seemed a bit embarrassed.
“I want to thank Datuk (Lee Chong Wei) for this comment. For (him to make a) comment like this, I really don’t know what to say to that, ”he said.
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“But for me, no one will be able to replace him, whatever he has achieved in his career, it is an impossible mission for all other players,” he added.
When asked what he had learned from Lee Chong Wei when he was a young player, Lee Zii Jia cited the relentless attitude of the first on the court and how he would never give up even when the odds were against him in the gold medal duels. Olympic and world championships. .
“It’s that fight, he will always go for that title. Even when he already had legendary status for us, he kept fighting, ”said Lee Zii Jia.
MAINTAIN CONSISTENT PERFORMANCES
During the interview, Lee Zii Jia was also asked to reflect on what a difficult journey has been for him.
The Alor Setar-born Shuttler received a demonstration letter from the Malaysian Badminton Association after a disappointing performance at the Toyota Thailand Open in January when he lost in the first round. He also lost all three of his group games in the BWF World Tour Finals.
Looking back on this after his victory on Sunday, Lee Zii Jia said, “Everyone has their fighting moments. When we have tough times, I find it important to calm down, see what the problem is, and find a way to solve it. ”
“I feel very blessed and happy to be able to overcome all these problems until today. Of course, in the future, there are challenges ahead waiting for me. I told myself that I am ready for any challenge, ”he said.
Lee Zii Jia of Malaysia during his match against Kento Momota of Japan, on day three of the All England Open Badminton Championships at Utilita Arena in Birmingham, England, on Friday, March 19, 2021 (Zac Goodwin / PA via AP).
Going forward, the Shuttler is determined to maintain consistent performances at the Malaysian Open in May and subsequently the Tokyo Olympics to cement its place among the best badminton players in the world.
However, he is determined not to get ahead after last Sunday’s victory.
“For the Olympics, I don’t want to push myself too hard, and I just want to do things step by step … I just want to enjoy the game and do my best in every match,” said Lee Zii Jia.
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He also remained determined not to let his recent bid for national stardom interfere with his development.
“I don’t want all of this to interrupt my training, I really don’t want this. I’ve seen a lot of players when they start to get famous, they go back and forth to the point where they don’t have time to focus on training, ”said Lee Zii Jia.
“I’m at the beginning of my journey and I want to focus to make sure it doesn’t affect my performance,” he added.
