Now the challenge for Lee Zii Jia and his coaching team is to tap into his incredible talents and help him find his groove again.
It is essential to keep a frustrating situation in perspective. Remember, not too long ago he was a top 3 seeded player -a testament to his talent and skill – it is crucial to acknowledge that he has not regressed into a sub-par player overnight. Like any athlete there are difficulties and the journey to peak performance can be arduous.
Bringing WONG Tat Meng on board as his coaching director is a statement of ambition. He has a great cv and a broad experience of nurturing players to reach their full potential all over the world. He has come home to Malaysia to use this expertise to strengthen LZJ for the challenges ahead.
And so – for now – we must regard LZJ as dynamic work in progress. He is desperate to show that his sweat on the practice court equals trophies on the show court, but it is a transformational process that has to evolve. He needs more routes to victory when he cannot blast his way past an opponent; so, by reworking his game to incorporate different options depending on the challenges of the match he will become a more resilient player.
WTM must unpick and analyse the elements of LZJ’s game that are not working. They have to refine and enhance. All this against the whirlwind of endless tournaments, unrelenting press pressure and his player’s self-criticism. So, he has identified his first priorities as: consistency, improving ranking and securing qualification for the Paris Olympics next year.
The World Championships are looming, and it is probable that he will be arriving in Copenhagen as an unseeded player. The important thing is not only how far he can advance through the rounds but also the trajectory of his metamorphosis. Will he prolong rallies? What is going to happen to his unorthodox smash? Does he have the physical stamina to go deep into the draw after his recent early exits?
Sun Tzu said that victory comes from finding opportunities in problems. As I reflect on Lee Zii Jia, I firmly believe that he does have the mental agility to innovate and the grit to persevere through difficult times. Champions are not solely defined by victory but by their courage in defeat and determination to overcome any obstacle placed in their path. Triumph over adversity is the ultimate measure of greatness.
If you enjoyed this then take a look at my recent article about WS and the Fab Four https://womensbadminton.co.uk/2023/05/06/badmintons-fab-four-the-womens-singles-players-who-dominate-the-sport/
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Amanda Bloss All Rights Reserved
Women's Badminton 
Lee, has to change his mental attitude towards his game. He has the passion to play but he is not using his brains and strength when needed. A coach can only give you fitness and tactical know how, but when a player is in court, he has to have vision and his own brains to play with different players and against their strength cause when in court, you are a one man army on your own to fight the battle,so you need to the brains and strength of tactical on your own when things don’t go according to the initial plan.
I don’t see that in any of our players, not even our great Lee Chong Wei. If he had surely he would have won a World Championship or the Olympic title.
I can assume non of these players has the mental strength and conditioning of mental calmness during matches.
To achieve this you need to do Medication and Yoga, this will help the players to keep their calmness during tense matches, where they can think to correct way to attack and play a very effective way to win matches.
Look at the Chinese players, they have army trainings and medication and yoga in their training schedule.
They don’t just train and train hard all day long, they have medication and yoga to bring relaxation in their body and mind to control their emotion.
Maybe, this article may not make sense, but think what really make sense, not just train hard and do physical training, you need to think outside the box.
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He is still the best player in the world but lately he just can’t make his best to bit his opponent. He need more determination and confidence to challenge anyone on the court. He will emerge and win more tournaments. Give him a little bit of time to do his fine turning.
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