Malaysian badminton star Lee Zii Jia has opened up about one of the toughest phases of his career. The 27-year-old independent player revealed he struggled with stress and even mild depression during his five-month absence from the sport after suffering an ankle injury at the World Tour Finals in Hangzhou last December.
Since then, Zii Jia has only managed to feature in two tournaments—the Orleans Masters and the All-England in March—before stepping away to focus on recovery. Now, he is preparing to make his much-anticipated comeback at the World Championships in Paris, which begins on Monday, August 25.
In an interview with the Badminton World Federation (BWF), Zii Jia admitted there were moments he felt like giving up:
“I was in a situation where I wanted to stop playing. It was my first time dealing with such a big injury. I was shocked and clueless. I didn’t know how to deal with this problem,” he said.
The uncertainty of returning to top form added to the mental strain. Zii Jia said he often asked himself:
“How am I going to perform when I come back? Am I still at the top level, or am I struggling with my own performance?”
To cope, Zii Jia turned to art and travel, sharing cryptic images on social media that sparked speculation among fans.
“During those five months, I was not just dealing with my injuries, I was dealing with stress – and of course, I had a little bit of depression. Art became an outlet for me to express both the good and dark sides of my feelings,” he explained.
He also completely disconnected from the online world, shutting himself off from news and social media to focus on rehabilitation and mental recovery.
Today, Zii Jia says he is pain-free, eager, and ready for the challenge ahead:
“The most important thing now is that I want to enjoy the game and of course, to be injury-free. I can play in training. Of course, tournaments are different, but this will be a good test for me.”
Can Lee Zii Jia make a strong comeback and reclaim his place among the world’s elite? All eyes will be on Paris as he begins this new chapter.
