KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 27 — After taking a “very positive break” before the training camp in Ehime, Japan, national men’s singles player Lee Zii Jia will be ready for a good showing at the Perodua Malaysia Masters badminton championship next year.

The season’s opening tournament at the Axiata Arena from January 7-12, which offers a total prize money of US$400,000, has attracted a strong field as the Tokyo Olympics qualifying rounds hit the home stretch.

Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) coaching director Wong Choong Hann said the time has come for Lee, who ended the year on a high note by winning the men’s singles gold in the Philippines SEA Games, to stand up and be counted.

The 21-year-old has a tough opener against third seed and world number four Anders Antonsen of Denmark, who beat the Malaysian in both their meetings this year in Indonesia.

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Lee lost 13-21, 13-21 in the Daihatsu Indonesia Masters and 16-21, 11-21 in the Blibli Indonesia Open.

“He faces a very good opponent but I am looking forward to a good start by Zii Jia after winning the gold in the SEA Games. It is a boost to help him prepare to pace himself and handle expectations.

“Zii Jia should learn to understand and grow himself to a bigger stage. The time has come for Zii Jia to show his potential, what more when he will have the home support in the stands,” said Choong Hann in a statement today.

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The Malaysian, ranked 14th in the world, returned to his hometown Alor Setar to take a break from badminton and indulge himself in basketball.

Lee said the break from badminton has left him “refreshed and energised” for the new season.

Lee, billed as Malaysia’s next big name after the retirement of former world number one Datuk Lee Chong Wei, won the men’s singles gold in Manila with a 21-18, 21-18 win over Singapore’s Malaysia-born Loh Kean Yew in the final and helped Malaysia win the silver in the men’s team event.

This year, Lee reached the quarter-finals of the Malaysian Masters, Indonesia Masters and German Open and the semi-finals of the Thailand Open. 

In the World Championships in Basel, Switzerland in August, he reached the quarter-finals but was shown the exit by eventual champion Kento Momota of Japan.

The national team have been training in Ehime, Japan since last Sunday. — Bernama