NATIONAL badminton star Lee Zii Jia has officially withdrawn from the 2025 China Open Badminton Championships.
The Badminton World Federation (BWF) confirmed his absence on their website, noting that the tournament will proceed without the world number eight from July 22 to 27 at the Changzhou Olympic Sports Centre Xincheng Gymnasium.
No official explanation has been provided by Team LZJ regarding his withdrawal from the Super 1000 event.
This marks the second tournament Zii Jia has skipped in recent weeks, following his absence from the Japan Open.
The 27-year-old has been struggling with an ankle injury sustained during the World Tour Finals in December last year.
His return to competition at the Orleans Masters in March ended in a quarter-final defeat to Ireland’s Nhat Nguyen.
Subsequent appearances at the All England Championships and Swiss Open were also hampered by the same injury, leading to early exits and further withdrawals.
Fans remain concerned about his recovery timeline as major tournaments approach. – Bernama
