Kuala lumpur: National professional men's singles shuttler Lee Zii Jia has stressed that he remains ready to don the national jersey if his services are required, but has placed personal performance standards as his main priority before making any commitment, particularly ahead of major tournaments such as the Thomas Cup and Asian Games this year.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Zii Jia said that although he is aware many view his presence as crucial to the national squad, he does not wish to be selected merely to make up the numbers without being fully prepared to provide a genuine advantage for Malaysia. He emphasized the importance of being at least 70 to 80 percent ready before representing the country at the Thomas Cup, acknowledging that being placed as the third singles might not offer a significant advantage.
Zii Jia mentioned that several tournaments on the Badminton World Federation (BWF) calendar will serve as key benchmarks to assess his fitness level and overall readiness before considering any involvement with the national team. His recent return to competitive action at the Malaysian Open 2026 ended in disappointment, as he was eliminated by India's Ayush Shetty with scores of 12-21, 17-21.
Following the match, Zii Jia admitted that he is still far from his best form, estimating his current performance level at around 50 to 60 percent. Despite being ranked 144th in the world, he benefits from a protected ranking of world number eight, which allows him entry into major tournaments for a certain period.
Injuries have been a significant challenge for Zii Jia since an ankle injury during the BWF World Tour Finals in December 2024. Although he returned to action in March last year at the Orleans Masters and All England, the injury had not fully healed, prompting another break before competing at the World Championships in Paris in August. He also participated in the Hong Kong Open but withdrew in the first round of the China Masters in September due to a back injury, leading him to take a complete rest to focus on recovery.