Lee Zii Jia injury update: Malaysian star vows to return soon

Lee Zii Jia has not competed since March 11.

Malaysian badminton ace Lee Zii Jia aims to return to the US Open in June, his first potential return to court since March 11, where he last competed at the All England Open.

The World No. 9 is recovering from a right ankle injury that has sidelined him from several key tournaments, including the upcoming Sudirman Cup 2025, where he played a crucial unbeaten role in Malaysia’s 2013 semi-final run.

“I’m hoping to make my comeback at the US Open, a Super 300 event, but only if I’m 100 per cent recovered,” Lee Zii Jia told Chinese broadcaster CGTN in a recent interview. “If anything feels off, I won’t rule out delaying my return.”

The World Tour Super 300 tournament in Iowa, scheduled for June 24-29, aligns almost perfectly with the earliest date Lee can compete again under the ranking protection privilege granted by the Badminton World Federation (BWF).

“My recovery is progressing, but it’s a race against time,” the 27-year-old shuttler added. “I’ve been working closely with Team LZJ to return as soon as possible, but only when I’m ready.”

Injuries have severely limited Lee’s 2025 campaign, which began after a right ankle ligament injury he suffered during the BWF World Tour Finals in Hangzhou last December.

After missing the Malaysia Open, India Open, and Indonesia Masters at the start of the year, he made brief appearances at the Orleans Masters in March, reaching the quarter-finals, before suffering a first-round exit at the All England Open against Hong Kong’s Ng Ka Long.

Team LZJ subsequently applied for protected ranking status as Lee withdrew from the Swiss Open and Badminton Asia Championships to focus on rehabilitation.

“This will help Lee recover from his right ankle injury,” his team stated. “Rest assured, we are doing our best to aid Zii Jia in his rehabilitation and training programme. His return to competitive on-court action will depend on his recovery.”

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