Love On The Court: American Badminton Player Esther Shi’s Viral Moment With Lee Zii Jia

Esther Shi, 22, couldn’t take her eyes off Lee Zii Jia during a break in their matches at the 2024 Thomas Cup Badminton Championship in Chengdu, China.

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In a moment that could have been straight out of a romantic comedy, American badminton player Esther Shi found herself captivated by the presence of Malaysian heartthrob Lee Zii Jia.

A TikTok video of them at the 2024 Thomas Cup Badminton Championship in Chengdu, China, has gone viral.

The video, shared by user @bello.com28, captures Shi’s awestruck reaction as she sees Lee walking towards the rest area.

The 22-year-old Shi, playing on the court next to Lee, stopped to wipe her sweat and appeared stunned by the appearance of the world’s 10th-ranked player.

In the footage, Shi can be seen stealing not one, but two glances at the dashing Malaysian athlete, leading many to speculate that she was smitten by his handsome looks.

@bello.com28 Amboi Jia USA girl pun hmm 🫠 #leeziijia #thomascup2024 #ziijia #lzj #badminton #fyp #foryou ♬ Happily Ever After – jollani

Cupid’s Arrow Strikes on the Badminton Court

Before this moment, Lee had been facing off against Denmark’s Axelson in the Group D match of the Thomas Cup on April 30.

Little did he know that his presence would soon capture the attention of not only his opponent but also the heart of a fellow competitor.

Social media users have reacted quickly to the adorable video, with comments ranging from envy to amusement.

Some said she was lucky to see Lee right before her eyes.

Others commented they saw the moment and thought someone would make a sweet video of this part, and they were right.

Netizens added that the player looked shocked to see Lee and probably didn’t expect him to be on the next court.”

Lee Zii Jia is so photogenic. I am in awe every time I shoot him 🤩 @TeamLZJ at #TUC2024 pic.twitter.com/h4nJovg5tW
— fariza (@farizaakhalid) May 3, 2024

While it remains to be seen if this viral moment will lead to a blossoming romance between Shi and Lee, one thing is certain: the power of a simple glance can be enough to set hearts aflutter, even in the heat of competition.

Lee, the nation’s top badminton player, has played a crucial role in Malaysia’s progress in the Thomas Cup, winning the first point in a 3-1 win over Japan during the quarterfinals on Thursday (2 May).

Malaysia will face China in the semi-finals, which will be played on Saturday. (4 May)

This marks Malaysia’s first semi-final appearance since 2016.