Independent Malaysian shuttler Lee Zii Jia is likely to postpone his return to competitive badminton until the Japan Open, scheduled from July 15-20. The 27-year-old, who has been sidelined since early March, indicated his reluctance to rush his recovery process and risk further injury.
Zii Jia had initially targeted the US Open (June 24-29) for his comeback. However, speaking at the National Sports Awards ceremony yesterday (May 13), he stated, “I am moving forward with my recovery process now, however, (coming back) at the US Open might be a bit too rushed.”
The former All England champion expressed his hope to be back on court by mid-July, adding, “It is likely I will delay my comeback. Hopefully I can play by the Japan Open and China Open (July 22-July 27).”
Explaining his cautious approach, Zii Jia referenced his experience at the All England Championships. “It is nothing serious, I am just dealing with the injury much more carefully this time after learning from what happened at the All England Championships. I felt that I was rushing it (comeback at All England) . I feel that it is better to be more careful this time.”
Zii Jia initially sustained an ankle injury at the BWF World Tour Finals in China last December, which kept him off the court in January and February. Unfortunately, he aggravated the injury during the prestigious All England Championships in March.
Fortunately for the world number ten, he has been granted ranking protection by the Badminton World Federation (BWF). This privilege allows him to focus entirely on his rehabilitation without the pressure of his ranking dropping significantly during his absence. Badminton fans will now eagerly await his return to the court in Japan.