Kuala Lumpur: Malaysian badminton fans finally got the update they’ve been waiting for. Lee Zii Jia took to Instagram today to share a short but impactful training video ahead of the 2025 Badminton World Championships in Paris — and it’s got everyone talking.
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The 40-second clip shows the former world No. 2 unleashing a series of aggressive jump smashes with confidence and fluidity, a strong indication that he’s fully recovered from the persistent right ankle injury that’s plagued him since December last year.
More impressively, Lee is no longer wearing his ankle brace, and his movement appears swift and pain-free. He looks leaner, sharper, and far more agile — with a focused intensity in his eyes that suggests he’s ready to compete at the highest level again.
⚡ Training Hard, Smiling Big
The video quickly went viral, gaining over 70,000 likes, with fans flooding the comments section with messages like “The king is back” and “We’ve been waiting for this moment.”
This year, due to injury, Lee has only competed twice — reaching the quarterfinals at the Orléans Masters in March, followed by a first-round exit at the All England Open. Since then, fans have been eager for signs of his return.
🏟️ Paris Return: Same Court, New Battle
Lee is currently training under the guidance of former national player Yeoh Kay Bin and is set to return to the Adidas Arena in Paris, where he famously captured a bronze medal at the 2024 Olympic Games.
However, the path won’t be easy. In the first round, he will face Korea’s world No. 38 Jeon Hyeok Jin. If he advances, a high-stakes Round of 32 match against world No. 4 Li Shi Feng of China likely awaits.
Based on the form shown in the training video, Lee Zii Jia looks ready to cause an upset. While the road is tough, a healthy and focused Lee Zii Jia is always a threat — and fans have reason to believe he could make headlines in Paris once again.
