KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 20, 2022 (BSS/AFP) - Malaysian badminton ace Lee Zii
Jia, ranked seventh in the world, has quit his country's national team to
play as an independent, reports said Thursday.

  Lee has been held up as the heir to Malaysian legend Lee Chong Wei, rising
rapidly up the rankings and scoring a breakthrough victory at the prestigious
All England Open last year.

  But the 23-year-old has performed poorly in recent months. He lost to
China's Chen Long at the Olympics and retired with an injury in the world
championship quarter-finals.

  After weeks of speculation, Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM)
president Norza Zakaria confirmed that Malaysia's top player had quit the
body earlier this month.

  "We see Zii Jia as an asset and we tried to persuade him (to stay) because
we have groomed him since he was 13," he was cited as saying by The Star
newspaper.

  "Now that he has reached this stage, winning the All England, we certainly
didn't want to lose him because he has a bright future."

  "However, he told us that he's no Lee Chong Wei and he cannot cope with the
pressure," added Norza.

  BAM did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

  It was not clear why Lee cut ties with the body, and there was no immediate
comment from the player, but he could face sanctions.

  Previously, BAM banned Tan Chun Seang from playing in Asian countries for
two years after he quit the national team.

  However world number one Viktor Axelsen of Denmark voiced support for Lee's
decision.

  "If a player... feels it's best for him to follow another path where he is
more independent as a player, then that is what he should do," tweeted the
Olympic gold medallist.

  "It's his career and his life after all."

  Badminton is one of the few sports in which Malaysia performs well
internationally.

  Three-time Olympic silver medallist Lee Chong Wei, who retired in 2019, was
one of the greatest players of his generation.