Professional men’s singles shuttler Lee Zii Jia made an unexpected early exit at the Japan Open 2024, falling to France’s Alex Lanier in the opening round in Yokohama today.
Despite recently securing a bronze medal at the Paris Olympic Games, the sixth-seeded Zii Jia struggled to maintain his form, losing to the world No. 29 shuttler 18-21, 13-21.
Following the match, Zii Jia took to Instagram to address his performance, revealing that he had been feeling physically weak since returning from the Olympics.
“Hi guys, I have been feeling physically weak for the past few days since coming back from the Olympics, but skipping tournaments was not in the plan as long as I feel it would not harm me,” he shared in his Instagram story.
He explained that although he tried his best and fought through the match, his body didn’t allow him to perform at his usual level.
“I tried my best and fought through the match just now, but my body didn’t allow me to perform to the best of my abilities,” Zii Jia wrote, indicating his disappointment.
The shuttler also expressed his intention to focus on recovery and look forward to upcoming tournaments, stating, “Looking forward for a good rest and recovery for upcoming tournaments.”
