Lee Zii Jia expressed gratitude to his badminton fans following his return to competitive action at the 2026 Malaysia Open on Tuesday.
The 27-year-old, who endured an injury-plagued 2025 season, made his first competitive appearance since suffering a back injury at the China Masters last September, as he faced Ayush Shetty in the men’s singles first round at the Axiata Arena.
You won’t believe this save! 😱
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#BWFWorldTour #MalaysiaOpen2026 pic.twitter.com/teDmF7z7BG— BWF (@bwfmedia) January 6, 2026
However, there was no fairytale comeback for the Olympic bronze medalist as he fell 12-21, 17-21 to the Indian shuttler in 39 minutes.
Despite his disappointment with the early exit, Lee was still able to take positives from the outing.
“I was not satisfied with my performance, but I know my opponent wasn’t an easy one and he can be considered a rising star,” he said in a post-match interview.
“Physically, I do not feel fully fit yet. Right now, it’s around 50 to 60 per cent.
“But I’m happy that I could play here again, and I’m also touched by the support from the fans who are still very patient with me.”
Lee is scheduled to continue his comeback at the India Open next week, before competing at the Indonesia Masters and Thailand Masters later this month.
