PETALING JAYA: Amid the excitement over Lee Zii Jia’s return to the national squad, Soh Wooi Yik is hoping his close friend can rediscover his form.
The world No. 2 men’s doubles player, who will be in Horsens, Denmark with partner Aaron Chia, admitted he is concerned about his friend’s current condition.
However, he believes that Zii Jia’s stint training at the Academy Badminton Malaysia (ABM), Bukit Kiara over the next few weeks could help lift his morale and improve his performances on court.
“For now, I hope he finds his form again. I don’t know his training condition, but hopefully, he gets it back. He has the experience and the potential. I just hope for the best for him,” he said.
So far, little is known about Zii Jia’s current condition, especially after his European tour last month.
He initially withdrew from the German Open but returned to compete in the Swiss Open and Orleans Masters, only to exit early in both tournaments.
Earlier this year, Zii Jia showed positive signs after struggling with injuries last year, managing to compete in four tournaments over four consecutive weeks without any recurrence.
However, inconsistency in form has continued to trouble him, with his best result being a quarter-final finish at the Thailand Masters.
Despite that, Zii Jia remains a key figure in Malaysia’s Thomas Cup squad and is likely to feature as the third singles player, as he is currently ranked No. 83 in the world behind Leong Jun Hao (No. 23) and Justin Hoh (No. 40).
At the same time, Wooi Yik dismissed talk that he would follow in his close friend’s footsteps by turning independent.
The 28-year-old did not expect a minor change in his Instagram bio, which read “Pro Badminton Player”, to spark widespread speculation. He clarified that it simply reflects his career as a professional player, not any intention to go independent.
“I feel there is nothing to answer there. That social media is my private space. I didn’t have any specific intentions. So, no comment on that. It’s not what people are saying. I just did what I felt like doing myself,” added Wooi Yik.
Wooi Yik is under contract with the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) until 2028 as he aims to help Malaysia win gold at the Los Angeles Olympics.
Wooi Yik-Aaron are currently preparing for the Asian Championships in Ningbo, China from April 7-12.
