Top five players who will miss Badminton Asia Championships 2025

Olympic Gold Medallist An Se-young has withdrawn from the tournament.

The Badminton Asia Championships 2025, set to take place in Ningbo, China, from April 8-13, has suffered a major setback with the withdrawal of several top players. Injuries and unforeseen circumstances have forced some of the biggest names in badminton to pull out of the prestigious tournament, leaving fans disappointed and reshaping the competition landscape.

Among the notable absentees are World No. 1 An Se-young, Malaysia’s top men’s singles player Lee Zii Jia, India’s star doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, and Malaysia’s top mixed doubles pair Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei. Additionally, uncertainty looms over the participation of Malaysia’s women’s doubles pair Pearly Tan and Thinaah Muralitharan.

Here’s a comprehensive breakdown of the reasons behind the withdrawals of these top players.

5. Pearly Tan and Thinaah Muralitharan

Malaysia’s top women’s doubles player Pearly Tan is recovering from an ankle injury she suffered during the All England Open. Although she and her partner Thinaah Muralitharan have entered the Badminton Asia Championships, doubts remain over their participation. Pearly has just started rehabilitation under the supervision of Malaysia’s National Sports Institute, and coach Rosman Razak has hinted that withdrawal is an option.

With the Sudirman Cup approaching in late April, the Malaysian team may opt to prioritize long-term recovery rather than risk further injury. A final decision on the participation of the Paris Olympics semi-finalists is expected soon.

Also Read: Badminton Asia Championships: Full list of title winners

4. Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei

Malaysia’s top mixed doubles pair, Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei have also withdrawn from the tournament, but for entirely different reasons. The World Number four pair struggled with internal conflicts and poor performances in recent tournaments, including early defeats at the Orleans Masters and the All England Open.

Their coach, Nova Widianto, had warned them to improve their results or face being split up. However, Chen Tang Ji has expressed disappointment at not being able to participate in the Asian Championships, he has accepted the decision and is focusing on training for future competitions.

3. Satwik-Chirag

India’s top men’s doubles pair, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty have also pulled out of the tournament. This marks their second consecutive absence from the Asian Championships. Satwik-Chirag also withdrew from the Badminton Asia Championships last year, as Satwik was recovering from a shoulder injury. In their absence, India will be represented by Hariharan Amsakarunan and Ruban Kumar Rethinasabapathi, along with Pruthvi Krishnamurthy Roy and Sai Pratheek.

2. Lee Zii Jia

Malaysia’s Lee Zii Jia has also confirmed his withdrawal from the Badminton Asia Championships due to a persistent right ankle injury. The Malaysian world number one has been struggling with the injury since the BWF World Tour Finals, where he had to retire midway through the match.

Since then, he has missed six tournaments on the BWF circuit. Although he attempted to compete at the Orleans Masters and the All England Open, he failed to progress beyond the quarterfinals, showing that he is far from his peak condition.

1. An Se-young

The biggest blow to the tournament is the withdrawal of South Korean sensation An Se-young. The world No. 1 in women’s singles sustained an injury to her right thigh, making it impossible for her to compete. The 23-year-old is in great form and has won almost every major title in world badminton.

However, the Asian Championships remain an elusive trophy in her cabinet, and she will have to wait another year for another chance. Wang Zhiyi of China is the number 1 seed in women’s singles.

With these major withdrawals, the Badminton Asia Championships 2025 will see a reshaped playing field. The absence of top players like An Se-Young, Lee Zii Jia, and Satwik-Chirag provides an opportunity for emerging players to make their mark.

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