Lee Zii Jia Is Now World's #3 Player & Aims To Get To The 2nd Spot By Year's End

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In an update on players' world rankings recently, the Badminton World Federation (BWF) noted that Lee has been holding the current third-best player in the world spot for a week.

According to New Straits Times, the BWF froze the world rankings two years ago due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Olympic Council of Asia reported that the BWF initiated a transition back to the usual live 52-week BWF World Ranking commencing 2 August 2022. A complete live 52-week ranking will be published on 3 January 2023.

This change in ranking has bumped up Lee's previous seventh position by four spots.

The number four spot is currently held by Taiwan's Chou Tien Chen, while two-time former world champion Kento Momota of Japan is in the fifth spot.

Another Malaysian men's singles player Ng Tze Yong, who won silver in the recent Commonwealth Games, is currently the world's 35th player.

According to New Straits Times, he hopes to break into the world's top 30 this year.

The 24-year-old player, who quit the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) and became a professional player in January, will be flying to Denmark a week earlier to train with Axelsen.

"Axelsen is the best player right now and is maintaining his condition well," he said of the Dane, adding, "He has always been someone I look up to."

Lee will play in the Denmark Open, French Open, and Germany's Hylo Open over the next two months in a bid to recoup ranking points he lost through his early exits in Asia, reported Olympics.

"I am determined to chase back my points from this European tour," he said.

"I have learned from my mistakes and will bring back my best performance."

He told the media over the weekend that he is aiming to clench the number two spot by year's end.