Malaysia’s men’s singles ace Lee Zii Jia’s highly anticipated comeback at the Badminton World Championships 2025 ended in bitter disappointment after a straight-game defeat to South Korea’s Jeon Hyeok Jin at the Adidas Arena, Paris, on Monday.
The world No. 52, returning after a five-month layoff due to an ankle injury, looked far from his best as he succumbed 21-17, 21-11 in just 41 minutes to the 27-year-old South Korean, ranked world No. 38.
It marked Zii Jia’s worst performance yet in his five World Championship outings. Since making his debut in 2019, the former All-England champion had consistently progressed beyond the opening rounds, reaching the quarter-finals in 2019 and 2021, and the last 16 in both 2022 and 2023.
This early exit has inevitably raised questions about whether the 27-year-old rushed his comeback. Initially, Zii Jia had targeted the US Open in June as his return platform, but later shifted plans to make the world meet his comeback stage — a gamble that has clearly backfired.
Instead of reigniting his career momentum, Zii Jia now faces a critical period of reflection and rebuilding. With Malaysia still searching for a consistent men’s singles force on the global stage, his struggles will be closely watched as fans and analysts alike wonder if the Kedah-born star can reclaim the form that once made him one of the sport’s most feared contenders.
Credit Photo : BERNAMA
