KUALA LUMPUR: Lee Zii Jia has just returned from injury, and fans must be patient as the former All England champion begins his China Masters campaign on Wednesday.
Former men’s singles star Ong Ewe Hock said it is never easy to regain rhythm and tempo after a long lay-off, and believes Zii Jia is doing what is needed to get back to his best.
Since returning from a five-month absence with an ankle injury, world No 42 Zii Jia has yet to win a match.
He was knocked out in the first round of both the World Championships in Paris and last week’s Hong Kong Open.
Ewe Hock said such results are part of the natural recovery process for players coming back from long spells on the sidelines.
“When you’ve been injured and you’re making a comeback, you need time to regain your condition,” Ewe Hock told Timesport on Wednesday.
“You can’t expect to return immediately as a champion. Losing one or two matches is normal. What’s important is that he keeps going.”
He pointed out that even two-time Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen endured a shaky restart after injury, losing to Japan’s Kodai Naraoka in the first round of the Hong Kong Open.
“This shows it’s not just Zii Jia. When you’re out for several months, you lose your match temperament,” he said.
“The feeling for the game, for tournaments, it’s not there yet. That can only come back through more matches.”
Zii Jia will be hoping to return to winning ways when he faces Taiwan’s world No 15 Lin Chun Yi in the China Masters first round.
The head-to-head record favours Zii Jia 2-1, but the Malaysian may still be short of his best.
Ewe Hock, a former world No 2, added that regaining rhythm is often the biggest hurdle for players returning from long lay-offs, and said Zii Jia’s mental resilience will be just as important as his physical recovery.
“You can see from his body language that the temperament isn’t there at the moment,” said Ewe Hock.
“It takes time, step by step, before he can readjust and start performing like before. He must stay strong and not let the losses affect him too much.
“The results may not come straight away, but with perseverance, the confidence and competitiveness will return.”
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
