Beberapa kejutan ke atas bekas juara dunia belum memadai untuk bekas juara Seluruh England 2003, Hafiz Hashim, mengangkat Lee Zii Jia sebagai penyambung legasi Datuk Lee Chong Wei.
Pandangan bekas pemain kebangsaan itu tidak bermakna dia tidak teruja dengan perkembangan semasa Zii Jia.
Namun, Hafiz berpendapat pemain kelahiran Kedah itu perlu memenangi kejuaraan secara konsisten untuk diangkat sebagai jaguh tulen walaupun musim ini, dia sudah mencatat lapan penampilan di peringkat suku akhir dan satu separuh akhir dalam saingan bertaraf terbuka.
"Setakat ini, prestasi Zii Jia memberangsangkan tetapi sudah tentu peminat di Malaysia mahu melihatnya mencipta kejuaraan berbanding mengejutkan pemain ternama. Kalau boleh dalam setahun, dia meraih tiga atau empat kejuaraan, baru setanding Chong Wei," katanya.
Pandangan itu dinyatakan selepas mengambil kira dua kemenangan ke atas bekas juara dunia, Chen Long, dalam Terbuka Indonesia dan Viktor Axelsen dalam Terbuka Korea Selatan pada Jun dan September lalu.
Zii Jia dan Hafiz sering dikaitkan atas persamaan faktor ketinggian, namun jelas sekali masing-masing memiliki pendekatan berbeza di dalam gelanggang.
"Kalau dilihat, memang berbeza permainan di antara saya dan Zii Jia. Dia agak agresif. Apa yang perlu dia tingkatkan adalah kecergasan. Jika dilihat, pemain Jepun, Kento Momota, daya ketahanannya sangat tinggi," tambah Hafiz.
Penulis Jemputan
Tue Oct 22 2019
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