With the Thomas Cup Finals heating up, Lee Zii Jia is calling for unity in the Malaysian camp following a rollercoaster start in Forum Horsens, Denmark.
While Malaysia secured a 4-1 victory over Finland in their Group B clash yesterday, the win was shadowed by a stunning upset. Leong Jun Hao, currently world No. 25, struggled to find his rhythm and fell 17-21, 15-21 to Finland’s Joakim Oldorff (world No. 62).
The pressure has been mounting on the singles squad. After resting during the opening tie against England—where both Justin Hoh and Aidil Sholeh Ali Sadikin dropped their matches—Jun Hao’s defeat left fans concerned. However, Zii Jia remains the squad’s anchor, maintaining a perfect record after dismissing Ananda Daniswara 21-19, 21-10 in just 35 minutes.
Staying Resilient
Despite the setbacks, Zii Jia is throwing his full weight behind his teammates as they prepare for tougher battles ahead.
“You might be down today and become the hero tomorrow. You never know,” said the 28-year-old Zii Jia.
“So I still believe in my teammates, as I said, especially Justin and Jun Hao as well.
“Although they lost their matches, I do not think it will affect our confidence in them.
“I still have faith that they will bounce back and deliver strong performances against Japan.”
Jun Hao Eyes Redemption
The loss was a bitter pill for Jun Hao, who had previously beaten Oldorff at the Arctic Open three years ago. Speaking to the Badminton World Federation, he didn’t hide his frustration.
“I feel disappointed with myself after the performance just now. I think the start was quite good, but after that I suddenly felt something went wrong,” Jun Hao admitted.
The Decider: Malaysia vs. Japan
There is no room for error now. Malaysia’s next tie against Japan is a “winner-takes-all” scenario for the top spot in Group B. Topping the group is crucial, as it provides a seeded advantage in the quarter-final draw.
Malaysia will be looking to replicate their success from the 2024 Chengdu edition, where they ousted the Japanese team 3-1 en route to a bronze medal finish.