Is Zii Jia ready to make history at the World Champs in Tokyo?

[superadmin]

KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia, which has never won a men’s singles title at the Badminton World Championships, is placing its hopes on Lee Zii Jia when he heads to Tokyo this week.

The closest Malaysia has ever gotten to the world championships was three silver medals from badminton legend Datuk Lee Chong Wei in 2011, 2013, and 2015.

He last participated in the championships in 2017 in Glasgow but had a shocking exit in the first round after he lost to French shuttler Brice Leverdez.

The following year, Chong Wei was again pitted against the Frenchman but had to pull out from the Nanjing edition a week before the tournament due to respiratory disease.

Fast forward to 2022, world number five Zii Jia is expected to assume the mantle going up against Chong Wei’s former adversary when he meets Leverdez in the opening round of the tournament to be held in Tokyo on August 22-28.

Speaking to The Vibes, Zii Jia’s sister and manager Lee Zii Yii said they are looking forward to departing to Tokyo on Friday and are preparing for the best possible outcome.

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