In a heated exchange ahead of their showdown at the Thomas Cup, Malaysian badminton player Lee Zii Jia received a 'stern' warning from Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen: "You better avoid me around the hotel!"

Is this a psychological battle brewing between the two players before their face-off? 

Both Malaysia and Denmark secured their spots in the knockout stages with consecutive wins against Hong Kong and Algeria in Group D matches currently underway in Chengdu.

The highly anticipated clash between Malaysia and Denmark is set for Tuesday, with Lee and Axelsen's singles match stealing the spotlight. Lee expressed his eagerness to face Axelsen again, reminiscing about their encounters last year and hoping for a top-notch performance from both players.

Their history includes an abrupt end to their last match during the quarterfinals of the Sudirman Cup last May due to Axelsen's injury and another withdrawal from Axelsen in October's Denmark Open, marking nearly two years since they last played a complete match.

Adding fuel to the fire, Malaysian media hyped up the impending clash with headlines like "I got my eye on you," amplifying Lee's anticipation and suggesting a psychological battle in the making.

A fan's social media post of the newspaper clipping caught Axelsen's attention, prompting him to respond on Instagram, tagging Lee and jokingly warning him to steer clear at the hotel, hinting at using mind games as his new weapon.