Despite a win that only Datuk Lee Chong Wei could pull off, Lee Zii Jia keeps his triumph at the Taiwan Open muted out of respect for Malaysia’s badminton legend.
Zii Jia wins biggest career title but prefers not to get carried away
PETALING JAYA: On any ordinary day, shuttler Lee Zii Jia would have probably celebrated his career's biggest triumph like there’s no tomorrow.
But the 20-year-old was not in the mood to party despite defeating Japan's Riichi Takeshita 21-17, 16-21, 21-11 to claim the men's singles crown at the Taiwan Open yesterday.
Zii Jia reckons that his hard-fought win was not only about himself but hopes that was the least he could do to lift the gloom off the national badminton camp after being hit by several blows of late.
He was referring to senior shuttler Lee Chong Wei who has been diagnosed with nose cancer, former teammate Tan Chee Tean's ( former national mixed doubles shuttler) passing due to a car crash in the Czech Republic and a few internal issues that rocked the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) recently.
“I'm happy that I won the title ... it’s also my biggest title but I don't intend to make a big deal out of it,” said Zii Jia, who lifted the Polish International last year.
“There were some unpleasant news about
BAM, and I am also saddened by what happened to Datuk Lee and my dearest friend Chee Tean whom I known ever since we trained together in the state (Kedah) team when we were young.
“All that matters now is Datuk Lee recover from his illness soon and Chee Tean’s family members can overcome the loss of their son in the family.”
The victory earned him a cool US$37,500 (RM156,000).
With the win, Zii Jia ended a 14-year drought for Malaysia in the event since Chong Wei last won it in 2004.
The other two Malaysian champions were Datuk Misbun Sidek (1987) and Wong Choong Hann (2003).