Kuala Lumpur – Malaysian badminton ace Lee Zii Jia will not be making his much-anticipated return to competitive action next week, as he has officially withdrawn from the 2025 China Open, set to take place at the Olympic Sports Center Gymnasium in Changzhou.
This marks the third consecutive tournament the World No. 27 has pulled out from, following his absence from both the U.S. Open in June and the Japan Open this week, due to a lingering right ankle injury sustained during the All England Open in March.
Lee Zii Jia’s continued absence has raised serious questions about his readiness for the 2025 BWF World Championships in Paris, scheduled from August 25 to 31. With two major withdrawals from Super 750 and Super 1000 tournaments, his world ranking is expected to take a further hit.
However, there is a glimmer of relief for his supporters. The Paris Olympic bronze medalist still qualifies for the World Championships through the protected ranking system, which currently places him inside the top 10. This system allows athletes sidelined by long-term injuries to retain eligibility for major tournaments, but only within a six-month activation window.
Adding to the concern, Lee Zii Jia recently posted black-and-white images with no captions on social media, sparking speculation about his mental and emotional well-being. Many fans and fellow athletes flooded the comments with messages of support.
In response to growing public concern, Malaysia’s National Sports Council (MSN) Director General Jefri Ngadirin issued a statement reassuring the public.
“We’ve spoken with Zii Jia’s team. He is doing fine and is not experiencing any form of mental stress,” Jefri said. “We’re here to support him in any way necessary as he recovers.”
Lee Zii Jia’s fans will now be watching closely for any updates ahead of the World Championships in Paris, hoping to see the Kedah-born shuttler return to form on the biggest stage.
