Men’s singles from Malaysia, Lee Zii Jia. (Photo: Instagram/leeziijia)
KUALA LUMPUR – High hopes accompany the departure of the Malaysian badminton team to Horsens, Denmark, for the 2026 Thomas Cup which will take place from April 24 to May 3. Amid big ambitions to end a 34-year title drought, men’s singles star Lee Zii Jia has suggested a calmer approach.
For him, having dark horse status without the burden of excessive expectations could actually be the key to success for the Harimau Malaya squad. Therefore, he asked the Malaysian squad not to focus too much on winning the title.
Even though BAM President, Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz, has set a target of winning, Zii Jia chooses to be realistic but still optimistic. He emphasized the importance of focusing on performance on the field rather than being burdened by the long history of title drought since Malaysia last lifted the trophy in 1992.
“For me, Malaysia is a dark horse. The opportunities are there, but I don’t want to put too high expectations on myself,” said Zii Jia, quoted from Malaysian media, New Straits Times, Friday (17/4/2026).
1. Lee Zii Jia’s New Role
At the age of 28, Zii Jia is undergoing his fifth Thomas Cup in a different situation. Due to his decline in ranking to 82nd in the world following prolonged ankle and back injuries, the former All England champion will most likely drop as third singles, behind his juniors, Leong Jun Hao and Justin Hoh.
However, for this professional player, his position in the team does not reduce the amount of responsibility he carries.
“Selama Anda terpilih, tidak ada yang mudah. Setiap peran sangat penting. Ini bukan sekadar mencantumkan nama di dalam daftar pemain. Kami semua akan memberikan yang terbaik untuk bertarung,” he continued.
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