No point worrying – Zii Jia’s ready to embrace the new scoring format

Different challenge: The 11x5 scoring system is expected to favour players like Zii Jia.

PETALING JAYA: The nation’s top singles shuttler Lee Zii Jia is not losing sleep over the proposed scoring format of 11-point best-of-five games.

The 22-year-old reckons that a good player must always be ready to embrace new challenges and not get stuck in their comfort zone.

Zii Jia was responding to talks that Badminton World Federation (BWF) president Poul-Erik Hoyer Larsen will continue to push for the shorter format which he said would make the sport more exciting to spectators and broadcasters.

It was first mooted in 2018 but it did not garner enough support during the BWF annual general meeting.

“As a player, we have to be prepared for any eventuality, ” said the world No. 10.

“If there’s a change, then we all have to accept it because it is a decision made by the world body, it’s not in our hands.

“What we can do is to accept, adjust and adapt. The new rule applies to everyone and it’s going to take a while to get used to it.”

The short format is likely to favour players with a powerful attacking approach in their game and Zii Jia is one of them.

However, Zii Jia believes it is too premature to state his preference for the current 21x3 or 11x5 systems.

“I don’t think we can compare it now as I have not tried the new format, ” he added.

“But one thing’s for sure, the 11-point system isn’t going to test a player’s physical fitness too much.

“On the bright side, a player can look forward to a long career.”