Malaysian King Receives Zii Jia’s All-England Racquet

KUALA LUMPUR, April 7 (Bernama) -- Malaysian King Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah and Queen Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah received the racquet that national shuttler Lee Zii Jia used en route to winning 2021 All England men’s singles final at Istana Negara (National Palace) on Tuesday. Zii Jia used the racquet to defeat defending champion Viktor Axelsen of Denmark at the Utilita Arena in Birmingham, England last month. Their Majesties also viewed the medal Zii Jia won, the (winning-point) shuttlecock from the All England final as well as the 2021 Swiss Open winners’ plaque clinched by Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah in women’s doubles. Earlier, Their Majesties attended a tea party with the national badminton team who competed at the 2021 All England championships and were welcomed by Youth and Sports Minister Reezal Merican Naina Merican and Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) president Norza Zakaria. Apart from Zii Jia, Pearly-Thinaah were also present. Zii Jia, 23, won the All England men’s singles title after taking the scalps of two big names, namely Axelsen in the final and world number one Kento Momota of Japan in the quarter-finals. -- BERNAMA