PETALING JAYA: Concern is growing over men’s singles ace Lee Zii Jia after the Paris Olympics bronze medallist withdrew from the German Open, which begins on Feb 24. A check on the Badminton World Federation website confirmed that Zii Jia is among 17 men’s singles players who have pulled out of the tournament. The 27-year-old had initially entered the event and was scheduled to start from the qualifying rounds. His withdrawal raises questions over the extent of the injury he suffered at the Thailand Masters last month, where he retired during his quarter-final match against Indonesia’s Alwi Farhan. The development comes as a setback for the Malaysian camp, who are counting on Zii Jia to lead the charge at the Thomas Cup following his encouraging performances in the opening three tournaments of the season.

Source: The Star February 16, 2026 19:31 UTC