Outnumbered: Men’s singles shuttler Lee Zii Jia (above, centre) take part in a training session with fellow compatriots (from left) Leong Jun Hao, Justin Hoh and Cheam June Wei at the Chengdu Hi-Tech Zone Sports Centre Gymnasium in China yesterday.
CHENGDU: Professional shuttler Lee Zii Jia will be out to prove that he is a team player when Malaysia take on Hong Kong in the first must-win Group D match in the Thomas Cup Finals starting here today.
He may have trained on his own and stayed away from the centralised training but when he faces world No. 15 Lee Cheuk Yiu today, he will not hold his punches as he promises to deliver a huge opening point for the team.
Malaysia have never lost to Hong Kong in the prestigious team meet before and Zii Jia is determined to prevent a first ever defeat.
Zii Jia, who has a tricky match against world No. 15 Cheuk Yiu, who is now coached by Wong Choong Hann, acknowledged the huge expectations on him.
The pressure will be high on the world No. 10 to deliver in the first singles especially with the team missing the country’s No. 2 and world No. 18 Ng Tze Yong through injury.
“Of course there’s a lot of pressure on me and I know that,” said Zii Jia after a practice session at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center yesterday.
“We all know the first singles is very important.
“Tze Yong is also not here and that puts even more expectations on me but I can’t afford to think too much about this.
“I have to focus on my own game and on helping my team.
“Cheuk Yiu will be a tough opponent and I will do my very best to win.”
It is already looking like a do-or-die clash for Malaysia in their bid to qualify for the quarter-finals with second seeds Denmark and minnows Algeria being the other two teams in the group.
Only the top two teams in the group can progress to the last eight.
In the second singles, world No. 37 Leong Jun Hao faces a tough task against world No. 27 Angus Ng Ka Long.
World No. 63 Cheam June Wei will likely get the nod in the third singles over youngster Justin Hoh and could meet either Chan Yin Chak (No. 91) or Jason Gunawan (No. 94).
Malaysia do hold the advantage in the doubles as Hong Kong do not have established pairs.
Mixed doubles specialists Tang Chun Man and Reginald Lee have been chosen in the team and could be deployed as a scratch pair.
For Malaysia, world No. 5 Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik and world No. 15 Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani are heavy favourites to win two points.
Wooi Yik is positive about the team’s chances of coming out on top.
“We have a good chance to win. So far, our preparations have gone well and our team spirit is really good,” said Aaron.
“We hope to get a good result.”
