Lee Zii Jia withdraws from Malaysia Open due to injury
(Courtesy : Getty Images)
Malaysia No. #1 in singles, Lee Zii Jia, will miss his home tournament after failing to recover in time.
Malaysia badminton ace Lee Zii Jia will miss next week’s Malaysia Open because of an unresolved ankle injury. This is a severe blow to home fans yearning to see him perform at the prestigious Super 1000 tournament.
“It is with a heavy heart that we announce Lee Zii Jia will not be able to appear at the BWF World Tour 2025 season opener and home tournament, the Malaysian Open,” Team LZJ announced on Friday.
The world No. #6 player hasn’t recovered from a right ankle ligament injury sustained during December’s World Tour Finals. “His participation in the Indian Open and Indonesian Masters scheduled in January 2025 is also under consideration, pending his full recovery,” the team statement added.
Lee Zii Jia was also in the news before that and the withdrawal has come at a crucial time for the 25-year-old who, in December 2024 parted ways with his coach Wong Tat Meng which ended the successful 18-month partnership that had Lee back into the world’s top 10 and reaped numerous titles that include Arctic Open, Thailand Open, and an Olympic bronze medal.
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Originally scheduled to face Taiwan’s Su Li-yang in the opening round of the $1.5 million tournament commencing January 9-14 at Kuala Lumpur’s Axiata Arena, his absence leaves Leong Jun Hao as Malaysia’s sole representative in the men’s singles category, who will face China’s Lu Guangzu.
The 2025 Malaysia Open will kickstart the badminton season, being its 68th edition since 1937, providing substantial rewards with singles champions receiving $120,000 and 12,000 ranking points.
This year’s event has attracted top talents including Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen and China’s Shi Yuqi in the men’s singles division. The last Malaysian men’s singles champion at this prestigious home tournament was Lee Chong Wei, who claimed his final Malaysia Open title in 2018.
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