KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 21 — Top national men’s singles shuttler Lee Zii Jia has been given the nod to compete in the Indonesia Open 2021 in Bali, Indonesia from Nov 23-28.

Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) coaching director Wong Choong Hann confirmed this, saying the 23-year-old Zii Jia had recovered well from the back injury sustained in the Indonesia Masters 2021 on Nov 16.

"Zii Jia will play (in the Indonesia Open)…no more pain for him in the past few days,” he told Bernama when contacted today.

Asked if any targets had been set for the world number seven, Choong Hann said he just wants the reigning All England champion do his best in the Indonesia Open, which will be held at the Bali International Convention Centre, Nusa Dua.

More importantly, Choong Hann hoped that the seventh seed would stay injury-free ahead of the BWF (Badminton World Federation) World Championships 2021 in Huelva, Spain from Dec 12-19.

The shuttler’s participation in the Indonesia Open 2021 had been in doubt when the Kedahan withdrew while trailing 9-11 against Denmark’s Rasmus Gemke in the first game of the opening round match of the Indonesia Masters 2021 on Nov 16.

Zii Jia’s coach, Hendrawan then gave him a week off to recuperate, saying he would monitor the player’s condition before deciding whether to allow him to participate in the Indonesian Open.

The shuttler had previously retired due to the same problem while trailing 21-19, 13-21, 12-17 against Penang-born Singaporean Loh Kean Yew in the final of the Hylo Open in Germany on Nov 7.

Zii Jia will have the chance to set the record straight when he takes on the unseeded Rasmus again in the first round of the Indonesia Open. — Bernama