Last month, 2024 Paris Olympics bronze medalist Lee Zii Jia (李梓嘉) made Malaysia proud by rising to World No. 3 in the Badminton World Federation’s (BWF) rankings, surpassing Indonesia’s Leonardus Jonatan Christie, who dropped to No. 7. However, in a surprising turn of events, the national singles shuttler fell to No. 7 in the BWF rankings released yesterday, shocking many Malaysians.
After participating in his first match at the VICTOR Denmark Open 2024, the Kedah-born player’s team released an official statement on Twitter, announcing his withdrawal from the rest of the tournament due to an ankle injury sustained during the quarterfinals of the Arctic Open. Lee missed the chance to defend his title after being knocked out by Japan’s Koki Watanabe, losing 15-21, 21-13, and 12-21 in a 66-minute match.
In the post, his team stated, “Zii Jia took to the courts on Monday, but discomfort around the ankle is preventing him from moving at match-level intensity.” The post continued, “With further consideration, it is with a heavy heart that Zii Jia has to withdraw from this year’s edition of the VICTOR Denmark Open.” His team, however, emphasised that the primary focus now was on ensuring that the injury does not worsen, which could lead to a longer recovery period and jeopardise his participation in future tournaments.
Despite the sad news of Lee Zii Jia’s injury and subsequent withdrawal from the VICTOR Denmark Open, there remains hope and optimism for his swift recovery. Fans commented on their support, recognising that rest and proper rehabilitation are crucial for the Kedah-born star to regain his strength and perform at his best in future tournaments.
Before his withdrawal, he was set to face Japan’s Kenta Nishimoto (西本 拳太) in the opening round of the prestigious World Tour Super 750 tournament held at Arena Fyn, Denmark. However, with Lee unable to compete, the tournament’s Seed Withdrawal Movement came into play, leading to Indonesia’s Anthony Sinisuka Ginting stepping in to take his place. Anthony will now face Kenta in the quarterfinal round.
For now, what matters most is his health, and we hope that with the right care and treatment, he will soon be back at his peak, representing Malaysia with pride on the global stage. We wish Lee Zii Jia a speedy recovery and look forward to witnessing more of his brilliance in the badminton arena.
Sources: Twitter, YouTube, WBF
Sakinah contributed to this article.
