PETALING JAYA: Professional men’s singles shuttler Lee Zii Jia may join the national squad for a training camp ahead of the Thomas Cup Finals from April 24-May 3 in Horsens, Denmark.
This comes after Zii Jia, who was initially scheduled to train with the rest of the players at the Academy Badminton Malaysia (ABM) in Bukit Kiara on Wednesday (April 1), had to delay his plans due to an ankle injury.
Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) performance committee chairman Datuk Seri Lee Chong Wei said the update was conveyed by national singles coaching director Kenneth Jonassen, who has been in contact with Zii Jia.
However, if Zii Jia has yet to fully recover, he may have to postpone his plans to train with the national squad once again.
“He was supposed to come tomorrow (April 4), but Jonassen told me earlier that he will provide another update.
“We are still unsure about the extent of Zii Jia’s injury, so it is not confirmed whether he will come or not. If he is still injured, I do not think he will come,” said Chong Wei, who was present to observe the national squad’s preparations for the Asian Championships, which begin in Ningbo next Tuesday.
Nevertheless, the doors of the Academy Badminton Malaysia remain open for Zii Jia and other independent players to train, even though most of the country’s elite players will not be around as they have already departed for Ningbo.
“We are open for training. If he wants to come, he is welcome, as we have always said, our doors are open.
“As this is part of preparations for the Thomas Cup, and since he is not competing in the Asian Championships, there are still several players training here.
“K. Yogendran will be here to oversee the training sessions, as Datuk Tey Seu Bock and Jonassen will be in Ningbo,” he added.
