MEN’s singles shuttler Lee Zii Jia, who has gone pro, has accepted an invite to represent Malaysia at the Badminton Asia Team Championships (BATC) on February 13 in Setia Alam.

Team LZJ confirmed his participation after the world number 11 faced another first-round elimination at the hands of China’s Lu Guang Zu at the Malaysia Open at Axiata Arena on Tuesday.

Team LZJ said on social media the 25-year-old accepted the Badminton Association of Malaysia’s (BAM) invitation to represent the country in the men’s team event.

“Stepping on home ground as a professional athlete is extraordinarily special. Can’t exactly put into words the feeling of hearing the home crowd cheer for you throughout the whole match. ‘Magical’ could be one of it.

“The breakthrough we sorely wanted in this edition of the Malaysia Open did not materialise. Second chances are hard to come by, especially one this swift. The opportunity to not only perform in Malaysia but with team Malaysia is something not to be wasted,” the statement said.

The statement said Zii Jia and his team would make some adjustments before joining the BATC, including by skipping the German Open.

Zii Jia was part of the team that bagged Malaysia’s maiden title in the 2022 edition of BATC held at Setia City Convention Centre, while the women’s team reached the semi-finals to secure an Uber Cup slot. – Bernama, January 12, 2024.