Lee Ying Ying has replaced Malaysia's top-ranked Women's singles shuttler Goh Jin Wei for Badminton Asia Mixed Team Championships, starting 14 February in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
Jin Wei, who is being regarded as one of the rising stars in the region, left Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) technical director Morten Frost frustrated when she blamed an ankle injury for her early exit from 2017 Malaysia Masters.
Frost revealed that the teenager had told him she was fit before the start of the tournament and that the former World Junior Championship winner has had similiar issues in the past. Even before BAM's axing on Jin Wei, he reportedly hinted he was considering to pull out the shuttler's name from the Malaysian team for the Ho Chi Minh City tournament saying she needed to grow up.
Ying Ying, world number 73, will now join world number Ho Yen Mei for the Women's singles campaign, according to the Star. While top-ranked shuttlers Lee Chong Wei, Goh V Shem and Tan Wee Kiong will be rested for the tournament, the likes of Iskandar Zulkarnain, Teo Ee Yi/Ong Yew Sin will be part of Malaysia's campaign.
The inaugural 12-team tournament is all set to feature top teams from the continent across five categories - Men's singles, Women's singles, Men's doubles, Women's doubles and Mixed doubles. Badminton Asia chief operating officer Kenny Goh had earlier revealed that eight other countries apart from Malaysia (Japan, Hong Kong, South Korea, Indonesia, India, Vietnam, Maldives, Taiwan) have sent their entries. Heavyweights China are also likely to send a strong team to Vietnam.
Malaysia Team
Lee Ying Ying, Hoh Yen Mei (Women's singles)
Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin, Lim Chi Wing (Men's singles)
Leo Ee Yi/Ong Yew Sin, Goh Sze Fei/Nur Izzuddin Rumsani (Men's doubles)
Chow Mei Kuan/Lee Meng Yean, Lim Yin Loo/Yap Cheng Wen (Women's doubles)
Tan Kian Meng/Lai Pei Jing, Goh Soon Huat/Shevon Lai Jemie (Mixed doubles)
