Lee Zii Jia: Malaysia’s New Badminton King and All England Champion
In the post-Lee Chong Wei era, Lee Zii Jia is the most anticipated successor to Malaysian men’s singles. Born in Kedah in 1998, the attacking, never-say-die shuttler wrote his own coronation at the 2021 All England Open, becoming the first Malaysian since Lee Chong Wei to stand atop the century-old event and giving fans hope of a generational handover.
Early fame: from world juniors to the pro tour
Lee’s talent showed early — a standout at the World Junior Championships and, in 2018, champion of the Chinese Taipei Open for his first tour title. With outstanding athleticism and a thrilling attacking style he quickly rose to the world’s elite, seen as the leader of Malaysian men’s singles for the next decade. His backhand and speed of attack are especially sharp, and his fearless on-court character won him a huge young following.
2021 All England: beating Axelsen for the crown
On 21 March 2021 in Birmingham, Lee faced defending champion Viktor Axelsen of Denmark in the final and came from behind to win 30–29, 20–22, 21–9 — the gripping 30-point first game especially dramatic. It was Malaysia’s first All England men’s singles title since Lee Chong Wei in 2017. En route he had beaten then-world No. 1 Kento Momota of Japan in straight games in the quarter-finals.
Paris bronze and the independent path
In 2022 Lee made a bold decision: to leave the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) and turn independent pro, building his own team and hiring his own coach — a road few Malaysians dare take. It carried risk but paid off at Paris 2024, where he beat India’s Lakshya Sen in the bronze-medal match to add another Olympic medal for Malaysia, proving the independent route can also reach the podium.
Carrying the torch from Lee Chong Wei
In looks and style Lee was once dubbed the “heir to Datuk Lee Chong Wei.” That expectation was both drive and pressure, and with an All England title and an Olympic medal he stepped out of his predecessor’s shadow to forge his own identity. Despite injuries and dips in form, his courage to break with the system and blaze a trail for the next generation is itself a model.
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