KUALA LUMPUR: Lee Zii Jia is taking it slow and steady in the build-up to the Paris Olympics. While it is paramount for any player to be at peak condition during tournaments, Zii Jia does not want to overstrain himself at this week's Indonesia Open.
However, the former All England champion still had enough firepower to record a convincing 21-17, 21-16 victory over Hong Kong's Angus Ng in the first round at the Istora Senayan in Jakarta today.
Zii Jia, who moved up two spots to No. 7 in the world rankings this week, understands that it is crucial for him to stay injury-free, especially with the Paris Olympics fast approaching.
Speaking to the Badminton World Federation (BWF), Zii Jia, who sat out of last week's Singapore Open with a minor hamstring injury, said: "To be honest, I'm not in my best shape because I only had one week to recover.
"I also didn't train much. I rested to be in good condition with no injuries.
"I'm probably playing at about 70 to 80 per cent of my ability. I think most of the players are like this."
Technically, Zii Jia does not need to overexert himself, as he has already achieved his target of breaking into the top eight before the Olympics.
Should the Thailand Open champion maintain his ranking, he will be among the seeded men's singles players at the Paris Games.
Separately, Zii Jia said winning against Angus for the fourth consecutive time this season is a huge motivation, especially considering the Hong Kong shuttler is coached by former Malaysian international Wong Choong Hann.
For the record, Choong Hann had coached Zii Jia when they were still part of the national setup before the latter decided to turn professional in 2022.
"The Indonesia Open is definitely a good test for me. There are no easy rounds because all the top players are here.
"Going up against Angus, I was a little nervous, because I've won the last three encounters this year. He would have done his homework on me, and he is also coached by my former coach (Choong Hann).
"It is important for me to be different (in my game) every time," added Zii Jia, who still has the Australian Open next week before he focuses on his Olympics preparation.
Zii Jia will face China's Weng Hong Yang, who defeated India's Kiran George 11-21, 21-10, 22-20, in the second round on Thursday.