Zii Jia sorry for cracking in do-or-die tie for Malaysia

SHUTTLER Lee Zii Jia is one of the most improved players in the national team but even he had cold feet in the men’s team event at the Axiata Arena in Bukit Jalil.

Yesterday, Zii Jia had the big task of trying to save the tie for Malaysia, but he was blown away 11-21, 11-21 by a pumped-up Ihsan Maulana Mostafa of Indonesia in just 28 minutes.

That saw Malaysia losing 3-0 to Indonesia in the final. With that, Malaysia’s wait for a SEA Games gold continues.

Malaysia last won the SEA Games men’s team gold at Manila 2005.

The silver, however, is an improvement from the bronze they won at the last Games in Singapore.

The 18-year-old Zii Jia apologised profusely for not delivering the point when it mattered most although he had beaten Ihsan before.

Malaysia had earlier lost the first two matches through Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin and Teo Ee Yi-Ong Yew Sin.

Iskandar just didn’t have it in him to trouble Jonatan Christie, who won 21-18, 21-17.

Ee Yi-Yew Sin did better but blew it by making too many unforced errors in the decider and lost 12-21, 21-16, 14-21 to Alfian FajarArdianto Muhd Rian.

“I am sorry. We have worked hard for many months for the Games and I blew it,” said Zii Jia.

“This is my first time playing in a crucial tie of a team event in a major tournament. I couldn’t handle it. There was pressure and there were too many things on my mind.

“My opponent is an experienced player, having featured as third singles for Indonesia in the SEA Games and Thomas Cup Finals.

“This is a big lesson for me. I know now what it takes to play in a situation like this. I can only get better.”

Zii Jia has a chance to make amends when he competes in the men’s singles individual event with Iskandar.

Malaysia won the men’s singles title at Singapore 2015 when Chong Wei Feng defeated Mohd Arif Abdul Latif in an all-Malaysian final.

A repeat will be good.