PETALING JAYA: Independent men’s singles shuttler Lee Zii Jia may miss the Thomas Cup Finals in Horsens, Denmark, from April 24-May 3 if he does not fully recover from his injury.
Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) performance committee chairman Datuk Seri Lee Chong Wei stressed that they are still unsure of the actual extent of Zii Jia’s latest injury, despite having extended their support, including offering treatment at the National Sports Institute (NSI).
With the world team event just about three weeks away, Chong Wei is unwilling to take risks by naming an injured player, especially with Malaysia targeting success in this year’s Thomas Cup.
“We still have no update on his condition as he has yet to come to BAM. We do not know how serious his injury is, but I've asked Jonassen to follow up on Zii Jia’s condition.
“We will not bring injured players to the Thomas Cup, that is my concern, and we will only select players who are fit. (Kenneth) Jonassen will continue to stay in touch with his coach, Liew Daren, regarding his condition and we will update accordingly.
“Based on what Jonassen informed, Zii Jia only messaged to say that he could not attend the training session on Wednesday (April 1) due to an ankle injury,” said Chong Wei.
However, Chong Wei is not rushing into a decision as BAM still have a few days before the player registration deadline on April 10.
“I hope Zii Jia recovers soon and that his injury is not serious. I believe he is very important for the third men’s singles slot and the whole team need him.
“I also feel this is important for Zii Jia to make his comeback and perform better in individual tournaments,” he added.
