KUALA LUMPUR,Mar 22: Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin congratulated Lee Zii Jia on his maiden All England victory last night, and advised him to use it as a catalyst to achieve more success
Noting that the player from Kedah was only 22, Muhyiddin said he had many more years to go in his badminton career.
“Well done Lee Zii Jia! You are a national hero. Congratulations to BAM (Badminton Association of Malaysia) and the coaching staff as well for this success.
“I am very sure all Malaysians, especially badminton fans, are thrilled with our national singles player Lee Zii Jia’s victory in the All England Badminton Championships earlier,” he said in a posting on his Facebook page.
Zii Jia grabbed the title with a pulsating 30-29, 20-22, 21-9 win over Viktor Axelsen of Denmark at the Utilita Arena in Birmingham.
Muhyiddin said Zii Jia’s achievement would motivate him further, especially since he had lost to the same opponent in the semifinals of the prestigious tournament last year.
It was Zii Jia’s second win over Axelsen in the five times they had played each other.
The last time a Malaysian won the All England – the world’s oldest badminton tournament – was in 2017, when Lee Chong Wei overpowered Shi Yu Qi of China 21-12, 21-10.
Zii Jia took home US$59,500 (RM244,344).
