Kuala Lumpur: World No. 13 Lee Zii Jia who almost defeated the 2020 All England champion Viktor Axelsen in the semi-final last Saturday, admitted there was plenty of room for improvement after his All England loss.
“I have to work hard to prepare myself to be more calm and determined in the crucial moments of any match,” said Lee Zii Jia on Monday.
He said his game was not complete enough compared to Malaysian badminton legend and four-time All-England champion Lee Chong Wei.
However, Lee said his success of advancing to the semi-finals before being knocked out by Viktor Axelsen was a good experience for him.
“Although I lost, Axelsen and I fought hard to prove who could enter the final,” said Lee.
The Alor Setar-born player, said he would continue to work hard to improve his game.
“What matters is that I have to stay focused and stay on track,” said the 21-year-old.
Malaysia’s men’s singles head coach Hendrawan also praised Lee’s performance at the All England.
“Zii Jia has a long badminton career ahead of him, most importantly, he is on the right track,” said Hendrawan.
The reigning All England winner, Viktor Axelsen also said he was not surprised by Lee’s performance.
“I was not surprised by his performance. I have seen him play many times and I have lost to him at last year’s Korea Open second round,” said Axelsen.
“Our play styles are very similar. He is a strong attacking player and very powerful,” added Axelsen.
