Lee Zii Jia qualifies for BWF World Tour Finals 2024

Malaysian star, Lee Zii Jia, clinched bronze at Paris Olympics in august.

Malaysian shuttler Lee Zii Jia has qualified for the prestigious BWF World Tour Finals 2024. The former All-England Champion, who clinched a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics earlier this August, currently holds the sixth spot in the BWF World Tour Finals race with 74,940 ranking points. Only the top eight players in the rankings qualify for the esteemed year-end event.

However, Lee’s journey to the Finals wasn’t easy. A tough first-round exit at the China Masters 2024, where he lost to India’s Lakshya Sen in a closely fought three-set match, cast doubts on his qualification. His chances then depended on the performances of other contenders, including Japan’s Koki Watanabe, China’s Li Shi Feng, and Chinese Taipei’s Lin Chun Yi.

Also Read: Lakshya Sen vs Lee Zii Jia last five meetings, head-to-head

Tight competition in the BWF World Tour Finals race rankings

Koki Watanabe, ranked seventh with 71,130 points, and Li Shi Feng, ranked eighth with 70,440 points, were both in contention to surpass Lee. Lin Chun Yi, holding the ninth spot with 68,500 points, also posed a threat to the Malaysia number #1.

Fortunately for Lee, both Koki and Li faced early exits at the China Masters 2024, eliminating their chances of overtaking him. Koki lost in a thrilling three-set encounter against Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen.

Li Shi Feng, on the other hand, succumbed to straight games defeat against Lin Chun Yi. The Chinese player had bolstered his qualification hopes just last week by winning the Japan Masters Super 500, earning valuable ranking points.

Lee Zii Jia 🇲🇾 has QUALIFIED to the BWF World Tour Finals 2024 this December ‼️Congrats Jia🔥 Hope you can do well at the #WTF2024 💪🏻#BWFWorldTourFinals2024 pic.twitter.com/tm4u8kGK20

— Z 💎🇲🇾 (@theone_xyz) November 20, 2024

With both Koki and Li suffering an early exit at the China Masters, Lee’s position in the BWF World Tour Finals race is secured. Despite his first-round defeat, Lee’s strong performances earlier in the season provided him with a comfortable cushion of ranking points to ensure his qualification.

Also Read: Full list of players who have qualified for BWF World Tour Finals 2024

The BWF World Tour Finals, scheduled for December, will see the world’s top players battle it out for glory. Lee Zii Jia will undoubtedly aim to bring his best form to the court, especially after a season marked by ups and downs.

In the post-match interview after the first-round loss to Lakshya Sen, Lee Zii Jia expressed optimism about his chances of qualifying for the BWF World Tour Finals, calling this his best opportunity in recent years. While acknowledging the challenge posed by Lakshya Sen’s strong defensive play, Lee admitted he needed to address some aspects of his game, particularly minimizing unforced errors.

The 26-year-old also confirmed that the China Masters, provided he qualifies, would be his final tournament before the World Tour Finals in December.

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