National professional men’s singles player Lee Zii Jia is expected to make his return to competition at the US Open 2026 next month after skipping the ongoing Malaysia Masters in Kuala Lumpur.
The development was revealed through a post by the United States Embassy in Kuala Lumpur on Instagram, which showed Zii Jia visiting the embassy alongside his team ahead of their trip to Los Angeles.
The embassy said it was honoured to welcome the Malaysian badminton ace and expressed excitement about seeing him compete in the United States, describing sports as a bridge that strengthens ties between both nations.
It is understood that the world number 62 will feature in the US Open 2026, set to take place at Titan Gymnasium, California State University, Fullerton from June 23 to June 28.
The Super 300 tournament carries a total prize purse of US$250,000 (RM993,725), with several international players expected to participate as the mid-season badminton calendar heats up.
Zii Jia’s absence from the Malaysia Masters 2026 had sparked questions among fans after reports surfaced that he declined a late invitation to join the qualifying rounds following multiple withdrawals from the tournament.
Among the high-profile names missing the Super 500 competition are China’s top-ranked shuttler Shi Yuqi and Denmark’s world number three Anders Antonsen.
The Malaysia Masters 2026 is currently being held at Unifi Arena from May 20 to May 24, offering total prize money of US$500,000 (RM1.98 million).
Last week, Zii Jia endured a disappointing outing at the Thailand Open 2026 after crashing out in the qualifying stage following a straight-sets defeat to Israel’s Daniil Dubovenko, 20-22, 10-21.
