KUALA LUMPUR – Independent men’s singles shuttler Lee Zii Jia’s campaign at the Badminton Asia Championships ended today after being outclassed by reigning All England winner, Jonatan Christie.
Jonatan was in a class of his own, never letting Zii Jia get a feel for the action at the Ningbo Olympic Sports Centre.
The Indonesian looked like he was rushing off somewhere after the game, sealing the win in straight sets 21-11, 21-6 in just 34 minutes.
The world number five will next face home favourite Shi Yuqi, who battled past world champion Kunlavut Vitidsarn 22-20, 21-13, in the semi-final tomorrow.
This latest disappointment comes after the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) confirmed that Zii Jia will don the national colours for the Thomas Cup.
It also reported that the world number 11 will receive financial compensation for representing the country due to “image rights”.
This became a heated topic among fans, with BAM and Zii Jia on the receiving end.
Supporters of the player criticised the national body for leaking details of the negotiations, while others panned the Kedahan for demanding payment to represent the country.
This led to TeamLZJ releasing a media statement explaining that Zii Jia’s participation in the Thomas Cup was never in doubt; it was just a matter of negotiating “image rights”.
“The compensation that was mentioned by BAM’s head of administration, Michelle Chai, pertains to exactly these ‘image rights’.
“Zii Jia and TeamLZJ are always very proud to serve the country, but we also value the importance of image rights that are essential for an independent athlete.
“We are very glad that BAM recognises this and is supportive of professional athletes.
“We hope that we can all see this as a betterment of the sport, not only for us but for other professional athletes who represent the country in the future.
“Let us all focus on the upcoming Thomas Cup,” Zii Jia’s management said in a statement on its social media platforms. – April 12, 2024