The year is off to an exciting start; only three withdrawals have left PETRONAS Malaysia Open 2025 packed with top-tier talent. Set to begin tomorrow, the tournament will feature all five world No.1s, promising an action-packed week of badminton at the Axiata Arena.

Of those to pull out, only local favourite Lee Zii Jia is seeded (No.6).

Some of the blockbuster men’s singles ties in the first round include Eddy Choong Rising Star of the Year winner Alex Lanier versus world champion Kunlavut Vitidsarn and twice Olympic gold medallist Viktor Axelsen versus Lee Cheuk Yiu. There’s also the tantalising prospect of Axelsen crossing swords with world No.1 Shi Yu Qi before the final – in the last four.

This edition also stands out for featuring some promising scratch pairs like Jin Yong /Kang Min Hyuk, Kim Won Ho/Seo Seung Jae, Lanny Tria Mayasari/Siti Fadia Silva Ramadhanti, Misaki Matsutomo/Chiharu Shida and Tang Chun Man/Ng Tsz Yau.

In women’s doubles, there’s an intriguing new transatlantic partnership to watch – Sara Thygesen of Denmark and Australian Setyana Mapasa have teamed up for the first time to add a fresh dynamic to the competition.

With a blend of seasoned champions and rising stars, the Malaysia Open promises to set the tone for a thrilling year of badminton.

Withdrawals

Men’s singles: Lee Zii Jia (sixth seed)

Women’s doubles: Kokona Ishikawa/Mio Konegawa, Chloe Coney/Estelle van Leeuwen

Promotions

Men’s singles: Priyanshu Rajawat

Women’s doubles: Paulina Hankiewicz/Kornelia Marczak, Jia Yi Fan/Zhang Shu Xian

Click here to view the updated draw.

PETRONAS Malaysia Open 2025 starts tomorrow, with the first match scheduled at 9am Kuala Lumpur time (UTC +8).