Lee Zii Jia’s parents asked for fans to continue giving the newly crowned All-England champion more time to improve and to stick with him through thick and thin as he prepares for bigger battles that lie ahead.
Lee is the talk of the nation after he became the latest national shuttler to win the world’s oldest tournament after defeating Viktor Axelsen in a pulsating men’s singles final, with tributes pouring in from in and out of the country.
But as he revels in the high of winning, he also knows the lows of losing where the repercussions include criticism directed at his performance, mostly through social media.
With that in mind, his father, Lee Chee Hin, urged fans to be patient with his son.
“Please give him time to progress, and continue to support him regardless of his results. He still has a long way to go,” the father told the press, adding that Lee called them in the wee hours of Monday morning in a video call to show off his trophy.
His mother, Leow Siet Peng, said Lee was so distraught after a sub-par performance in Thailand that he shut everyone off, including his family.
“Perhaps he was guilty for not doing well in Thailand. But we are so proud of his endurance and determination to win the All-England. I’m proud of him and hope he will continue to do the country proud in the future.
“I also want to thank coach Indra [Wijaya] for believing in him. Zii Jia is an attacking player, but Indra thought him the importance of having a defensive game too,” she told The Star.
The world number 10, who is expected to shoot up on the world rankings, is scheduled to resume his BWF World Tour action at the India Open in May.
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