Last week, Lee was seen playing pickleball with the president of the Badminton Association of Malaysia, Tengku Zafrul. The two paired up and showed good teamwork. While it was just a friendly match, Lee said he has been learning the sport and feels it suits him.
"I even discovered a theory about the name of the game. It originates from the inventor's dog, named Pickle, who used to chase the ball," Lee said.
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Lee Chong Wei (right) plays pickleball with the president of the Badminton Association of Malaysia, Tengku Zafrul, at a local court on 14/7. Photo: WOB |
Lee Chong Wei (right) plays pickleball with the president of the Badminton Association of Malaysia, Tengku Zafrul, at a local court on 14/7. Photo: WOB
Lee retired in 2019 after being diagnosed with nose cancer. He overcame the illness in 2020 and was determined to play in the Tokyo Olympics the following year. However, the legend, who holds the record of 348 weeks at world number 1, couldn't regain his fitness in time and missed the Games where he had previously missed out on a gold medal three times.
Lee then served as Chef de Mission for the Malaysian team at the Tokyo Olympics. He has since appeared at several Badminton Association of Malaysia events, but rarely discusses his life after retirement.
Created in 1965, pickleball has grown rapidly, becoming a sporting craze in the US before spreading to over 50 other countries, including Vietnam. Essentially, pickleball is a hybrid sport combining elements of tennis, table tennis, and badminton. It’s played on a court similar in size to a badminton court, using a solid paddle smaller than a tennis racket but larger than a table tennis paddle, and a small, light ball.
Like other Southeast Asian nations, Malaysia has recently seen a surge in interest in pickleball. The sport’s growth rate reached 132% in 2024, with around 300 clubs and nearly 200 international-standard courts. This month, the WPC Asia Series will take place in Malaysia with over 1,000 athletes competing for a total prize of 100,000 USD.
Vy Anh
