KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysian men’s singles star Lee Zii Jia has officially closed the chapter on his 2025 campaign, confirming he will not compete again this year as he continues to battle long-standing injuries.
Despite a difficult and disrupted season, the former All England champion remains upbeat and is now preparing for a fresh restart in January 2026 — with early indications pointing to a potential return at the Malaysia Open (6–11 January) at Axiata Arena, Bukit Jalil.
Earlier, Lee Zii Jia withdrew from next week’s Syed Modi International in India. He later addressed his injury situation directly in a personal social media post, his first long-form message in months.
A Year Defined by Injuries
Currently ranked World No. 83, Lee Zii Jia admitted that 2025 tested him both physically and emotionally.
“
Hi all, Zii Jia here.
It’s been a while since I’ve written myself.
As you all know, 2025 has been somewhat
of a challenging year and also a learning
curve when it comes to managing my
physical health.There are days when I feel on top of the
world and there are days when I feel the
effects of coming back from that ankle
injury and the nagging back pain.”
His last appearance was at the China Masters in September, after which he and his team worked closely with medical professionals to manage ongoing ankle and back issues.
“
Since my last competitive match at the
China Masters in September, my team and I
have been working closely with medical
experts on how to best move forward in
ensuring that I am able to compete to the best
of my abilities.After taking account of all the feedback,
and most importantly listening to my body,
I feel it is best to close the chapter on 2025
and focus on the upcoming 2026 calendar.”
Personal Growth Amid Setbacks
Although the year brought its share of struggles, Lee Zii Jia said it also gave him space to discover new perspectives:
“
To say that it has been a rollercoaster of a
year physically and emotionally would be
an understatement, but there has also been
a lot of discovery about myself, who knew
that art is something that I am fond of.My thanks goes out to a lot of people, my
family, friends, my team, my sponsors who
is in my corner since day one and of course
the fans who I look forward to seeing again
soon.I remain motivated and spirited to return to
the court. January is just around the corner.Sincerely
Zii Jia.”
The Paris 2024 Olympic bronze medallist also expressed heartfelt thanks to those who supported him throughout the season.
Looking Ahead: Malaysia Open Return?
All signs suggest that Lee Zii Jia is targeting a comeback at the start of the 2026 BWF World Tour, with the Malaysia Open likely to mark his return to competition.
Fans and the Malaysian badminton community have been rallying around him, hoping for a fully recovered and rejuvenated Lee Zii Jia in the new season.
Badminton followers worldwide will be eagerly watching to see how the 27-year-old resets and rebuilds for a major rebound in 2026.
