[Saba Sports News] Lee Zii Jia, the Malaysian star shuttler who had missed training due to injury, finally joined the Malaysian national team’s central training camp for the first time last week.
In response, Malaysian legend Lee Chong Wei stated that it was good news to see Lee Zii Jia taking part in training and practice matches. However, a player’s competitive form cannot be judged by just one training session. Still, compared with other singles players, Lee Zii Jia showed better mental condition. As the third singles player, he possesses strong ability and would greatly improve the team’s chances of winning. Lee Chong Wei pointed out that so far, all reports from the coaches have been positive, and the coaching staff will take him to a 10‑day training camp in Denmark. The Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) will name four singles players in its Thomas Cup squad, and Lee Zii Jia is among them. The team does not want to put too much pressure on him at this stage.
According to BWF regulations, in the absence of injury withdrawals, the playing order for both singles and doubles in the Thomas & Uber Cup is determined by world rankings. All participating teams must select 4 to 10 players 14 days before the competition, and list the first, second, and third singles/doubles pairs based on the world rankings at that time. Based on Malaysia’s current men’s singles world rankings and assuming no further injuries, Lee Zii Jia is set to play as the third singles.
In our opinion, Lee Chong Wei’s support for Lee Zii Jia represents both an emotional legacy and a strategically necessary choice. With the Thomas Cup approaching and driven by national pride, their bond is seen as a key opportunity for Malaysia to end its 34‑year title drought in the Thomas Cup.