KUALA LUMPUR – “I wanted to win this game more than anyone,” said Lee Zii Jia after his defeat to India’s H.S. Prannoy in the men’s singles quarter-final round at the Asian Games today.
The former All-England champion expressed his disappointment with the outcome and acknowledged the realities of the game despite his unwavering commitment.
“I wanted to win this game more than anyone. I’m a highly disciplined athlete who never skips training sessions.
“I have always trained hard and given my 100% in each game, but sometimes I have to accept reality if I don’t achieve the desired outcome.
“Despite my unrelenting efforts to catch up with my opponent in the second set, there’s not much I can do when he (Prannoy) consistently takes the lead.
“What else can I do? I’m even more disappointed with the defeat than anyone else since I was the one on the court,” Zii Jia explained in a post-match interview.
The world number 16 player also appealed to Malaysian badminton fans to remain patient and trust the development process, as he continues to learn from every match he competes in.
“I hope Malaysian fans bear with me for now, and I must admit that I’m still a long way from becoming a consistent and mature player.
“For now, I don’t place too much emphasis on the outcome… I see this as a learning process, and I’m uncertain how long this situation will persist.
“I glean valuable lessons from every match in every tournament. This is an essential part of my growth, and who knows, maybe I will achieve success the next time. It’s a process I’m diligently working on,” Zii Jia added.
The 25-year-old’s pursuit of a medal at the Hangzhou Asian Games came to an end after falling short against Prannoy.
Despite mounting a comeback in the second set, the former All-England champion could not contend with the intense gameplay of his world number seven opponent, ultimately losing the match 16-21, 23-21, 20-22 in 78 minutes.
Prannoy is set to face either Indonesia’s world number two, Anthony Sinisuka Ginting, or China’s world number eight, Li Shifeng, in tomorrow’s semi-finals. – October 5, 2023