Five years ago, Lee Zii Jia looked untouchable. He beat Kento Momota and Viktor Axelsen back to back to win the 2021 All England Open, and his thunderous smashes made him one of badminton’s most feared attackers. Today, the story reads very differently.
Lee Zii Jia Ranking Collapse Raises VICTOR Questions
The Malaysian shuttler now sits at world No. 65, a steep fall from his career high of No. 2. At the recent US Open, he lost to India’s Kidambi Srikanth in straight games, 21-14 and 21-13, in the second round. It was another reminder of how far his form has slipped.
Lee, now 28, followed in the footsteps of Malaysian legend Lee Chong Wei during his prime. His rise in the rankings coincided with soaring commercial appeal, and equipment brand VICTOR built its Thruster Ryuga racket line around his explosive playing style. The racket became one of the brand’s best sellers for years.
However, everything changed at the 2024 BWF World Tour Finals, where Lee suffered a serious ankle injury. What followed was a frustrating cycle of comebacks and setbacks. When qualification for the 2026 BWF World Championships in New Delhi closed in late April, his ranking had dropped to 82nd, well outside the cutoff.
Meanwhile, his compatriots Leong Jun Hao and Justin Hoh, ranked 25th and 44th respectively, secured their spots with ease. Lee, once Malaysia’s top men’s singles star, will instead watch the tournament from home.
His slump has also hit VICTOR’s bottom line. Sales of the Thruster Ryuga have cooled alongside his results, and industry watchers say his sponsorship renewal talks now hang in the balance.
Loyalty built over years of partnership counts for something, yet sport rarely sentimentalizes numbers. Commercial value tends to follow results, and Lee will need a return to form to convince VICTOR he still delivers on both fronts.
