PETALING JAYA: Men’s singles shuttler Lee Zii Jia has opened up about the struggles he faced during some of the lowest points of his career as he dealt with injuries and poor form.
The 28-year-old shared a lengthy social media post explaining what he has been going through over the past years since he left the national team, as he wanted to focus fully on his training and competing.
“After leaving the national team, I left many parts of my life and career in the hands of people I trusted. At that time, I felt that as long as I could focus on training and competing, having people help me handle the rest was something to be thankful for,” he said.
However, the Olympic bronze medallist revealed that things were not as they seemed, as he did not feel he could talk openly to those around him.
“But as time passed, especially when I was injured, struggling with my form, and mentally at one of my lowest points, I slowly realised that many things were not what I thought.
“I was anxious, confused, and honestly very lost. There were not many people around me whom I could really open up to.
“I realised that I wasn’t just dealing with injuries and performance, but also with a sense of helplessness that had built up over a long time.”
Zii Jia said he then gathered the courage to speak up and make his intentions clear that he wanted to regain control of his life and career.
“I wanted to decide who I have around me, the best environment for myself, and just go back to playing badminton.”
This year has not been the best for the Kedah-born shuttler as he continues to battle injuries, with his best result coming just last month when he reached the semi-finals of the Canadian Open before he fell to Japan’s Koki Watanabe.
