KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 11 — Professional men’s singles shuttler Lee Zii Jia will not defend his Australian Open crown after pulling out from this year’s edition, scheduled in Sydney from November 18 to November 23.
The Badminton World Federation (BWF) said that he has been listed as ‘withdrawn’ alongside Paris 2024 Olympic Games gold medallist Viktor Axelsen, Thailand’s 2023 world champion Kunlavut Vitidsarn, and fellow Malaysians Cheam June Wei and Jacky Kok Jing Hong.
Team LZJ has yet to reveal the reason for Lee's withdrawal from the Super 500 tournament, to be held at the Quaycentre on Olympic Boulevard.
The 27-year-old also skipped the Japan Masters 2025, which runs from today until November 16.
On October 1, Team LZJ posted on Instagram that a medical expert had advised the Paris 2024 bronze medallist to undergo an extended rehabilitation programme for persistent low back pain.
As such, the 2021 All England champion missed three European assignments recently: the Denmark Open, the French Open, and the Hylo Open.
Lee last played at the 2025 China Masters in September, where he was forced to retire in the third game of his opening-round match against Taiwan’s Lin Chun-Yi while trailing 6-14. The Kedahan had earlier won the first game 21-17 before narrowly losing the second 21-23.
Last year, he lifted his maiden Australian Open crown after downing Japan’s Kodai Naraoka 21-19, 11-21, 21-18 in the final.
Malaysia’s men’s singles challenge at the Australian Open 2025 will now rest on the shoulders of Leong Jun Hao, Justin Hoh, and Aidil Sholeh Ali Sadikin, while Eogene Ewe and Lim Ming Hong will start from the qualifying rounds.
