Badminton News: Is Lee Zii Jia starting to crack under the pressure? All signs point to that possibility after the 24-year-old men’s singles suffered his worst form this year when he collapsed in the first round of the 2022 Japan Open.

As fans expected Lee Zii Jia to respond positively to his mediocre performance at the World Championships last week, the world No. 4 lost 22-20, 23-21 to India’s Kidambi Srikanth.

It was the Malaysian representative’s first defeat against the world number 12 after three meetings.

After a great start to his professional career, Zii Jia, who won the 2022 Asian Championship and the Thailand Open, has failed to reach the quarter-finals in his last three tournaments.

And his elimination in the first round this week, the first since the Indonesia Open last November, certainly does not bode well for the national number one.

A former international, who wishes to remain anonymous, believes Zii Jia should hire an experienced adviser to rebuild his confidence and professional career.

Currently, her older sister, Lee Zii Yii, a former national player, is managing her career.

“It’s clear that Zii Jia is struggling to cope with the pressure,” said the former international.

“He needs more help and proper advice. It would be best if he asked someone to advise him on expectations, tournament planning, training programs, public relations and image. He also needs a better sparring partner. The quality of the fight is clearly lacking right now,” he said.

“He may not have felt the effects too much in the first months after leaving the national team as he is still fit, but the same cannot be said now. It all depends on him how to turn the situation around. We all hope to see him bounce back soon,” added Zii Yii.

Article Tags: Lee Zii Jia, Japan Open 2022

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