Zii Jia hit by confidence crisis, says Chong Wei

 The BAM performance committee chairman says all that Lee Zii Jia needs is a win, and urged him to make use of BAM's facilities.

National singles ace Lee Zii Jia, ranked world No 86, had a six-month layoff last year after a back injury. (EPA Images pic)

PETALING JAYA:

 Professional singles shuttler Lee Zii Jia is grappling with self-confidence, which has caused him to struggle to regain top form, according to badminton legend Lee Chong Wei, who is chairman of the Badminton Association of Malaysia’s performance committee.

Chong Wei said that apart from not fully recovering from injury, Zii Jia was not in the right state of mind, which affected his performance.

Lee Chong Wei.

“I’m not sure exactly what the issue is, but I feel he has not recovered 100% from his injury,” he told Berita Harian. “I’ve seen him play, but the confidence is missing. He seems lost in terms of what to do on court.”

Chong Wei said the BAM’s doors were always open for Zii Jia to seek help, including access to training facilities and expert assistance, ahead of the Thomas Cup in Denmark on April 24.

He said confidence was vital for any player. In Zii Jia’s case, it could be that he has been out of action for too long due to injury. “Coupled with the consecutive losses he has experienced, it has led to his confidence declining.”

Chong Wei said that he himself had gone through a similar slump in his playing days and he could relate to Zii Jia’s situation.

“All he needs is a win, and it doesn’t matter if it’s a major tournament or otherwise, as it would help boost his confidence.”

Earlier this week, the former All England champion failed to qualify for the main draw of the Orleans Masters in France. He fell 21-18, 21-14 to China’s Dong Tian Yao after beating India’s S Subramaniam 21-12, 21-18 in the qualifying round.

The result capped another difficult week for the world No 86, Zii Jia, who had a six-month injury layoff last year after opting for physiotherapy instead of surgery for his back injury. - FMT