Pro shuttler Lee assured he will continue to play for as long as his body allows
PETALING JAYA: Lee Zii Jia has no intention of walking away from badminton.
Despite enduring one of the toughest periods of his career over the past year, the men’s singles shuttler vowed to keep fighting until he could no longer play badminton and assured fans he was not going anywhere.
After months of battling injuries, poor form and self-doubt, the 28-year-old said giving up had never been an option, instead insisted he was determined to work his way back, no matter how long it took.
“Thank you to my friends and fans for never giving up on me. There were many times when even I didn’t like the person I had become and did not understand why you all still chose to encourage me and believe in me again and again,” Zii Jia said in a social media post on Sunday.
“Because of all of you, I realised that a person is not only worth supporting because of wins, but also because he is still trying his best to keep going.
“I don’t know what the future looks like, and I don’t know how long it will take. But know this, I will not give up easily.
“No matter how many low moments, doubt, and failure I may still have to face ahead, I will keep going until the day I truly can’t play anymore.”
The Kedah-born shuttler had opened up about the struggles he had faced since leaving the national set-up in 2022, elaborating that he was at his lowest when dealing with injuries and poor form.
Feeling that he was unable to open up to those around him, the Olympic bronze medallist said that he eventually gathered the courage to speak up and took charge of his own life and career, with the sole focus on playing badminton.
“If I want to continue, I have to stand up for myself and fight for my freedom, my right to make decisions, and a better environment.
“Even if I fail, at least it will be my own choice, and I will take responsibility for it.
“For me, the most important thing now is to put my focus back on court, and slowly get my life and myself back on track,” he said.
Zii Jia’s most recent tournament at the Canadian Open saw him get his best result this year after reaching the semi-finals before losing to Japan’s Koki Watanabe.
Zii Jia’s next outing is the Taiwan Open from July 28-Aug 2, before the Korean Masters from Aug 4-9.
