National shuttler Lee Zii Jia ends 2025 season early for recovery, balancing rehabilitation with newfound artistic passion ahead of 2026 return.
PROFESSIONAL men’s singles shuttler Lee Zii Jia will use the remainder of the year to focus on recovery and preparation for the 2026 season.
The Malaysian player has been out of action since September due to persistent injuries.
“There are days when I feel on top of the world and there are days when I feel the effects of coming back from that ankle injury and the nagging back pain,” he said in an Instagram post.
Zii Jia’s team announced he was advised by medical experts to undergo extensive rehabilitation for persistent low back pain.
This followed his withdrawal during the opening round of the China Masters 2025 against Taiwan’s Lin Chun-Yi.
“Since my last competitive match at the China Masters in September, my team and I have been working closely with medical experts on how to best move forward,” he added.
The former All England 2021 champion missed several tournaments, including defending his Australian Open 2025 title.
He revealed discovering a new passion during his time away from competition.
“To say that it has been a rollercoaster of a year physically and emotionally would be an understatement, but there has also been a lot of discovery about myself, who knew that art is something that I am fond of,” Zii Jia shared.
He expressed gratitude to his support network during this challenging period.
“My thanks goes out to a lot of people, My family, friends, my team, my sponsors who is in my corner since day one and of course, the fans who I look forward to seeing again soon.”
Despite the setbacks, Zii Jia remains motivated for his competitive return.
The shuttler said he remains spirited to return to the court next year.
