Astrox 99 LCW Green/Purple
Model AX-99LCW · Lee Chong Wei
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Where to find it
A racquet that never played: the Astrox 99 Lee Chong Wei tribute
Released after the end
In mid-2019, Yonex released the Astrox 99 in a distinctive green and purple colorway for Lee Chong Wei. He never competed with it. Three months earlier, on June 13, 2019, he had announced his retirement due to nose cancer. The LCW edition is the only Yonex signature racquet in the database whose player never used it in professional competition. It exists entirely as a tribute.
The retirement that stopped Malaysia
When LCW announced his retirement, it was the end of 16 years of professional badminton, three Olympic silver medals, and 349 weeks at World #1. The announcement produced scenes of public grief in Malaysia that are unparalleled in the country's sporting history. Yonex had already committed to producing the AX-99 LCW — the release became an act of condolence rather than a signature launch.
Why the tribute premium holds
The AX-99LCW is priced at $1,380 — more than the Astrox 99 Pro (current, $260) and approaching the Duora 10 Legend Vision ($1,068). The premium is not driven by playing performance or production scarcity alone. It is driven by provenance: a racquet whose player couldn't play. In the collector market for sports equipment, 'tribute to a retirement that shouldn't have happened' is a category that generates sustained emotional demand. The supply is fixed and decays; the emotional weight does not.
The green/purple colorway
The visual identity is distinctive and immediately recognizable: a deep emerald green frame with purple accents, specific to this edition only. No other AX-99 variant shares this colorway. In a market where authentication is often difficult, the color alone is a first-pass screen — counterfeits of this specific edition do circulate, but the color match is difficult to replicate convincingly.
Distinctive emerald green/purple two-tone finish — unique to this edition only. JP-coded distribution (Japanese market packaging markings). 'Lee Chong Wei' silk-screen printing precise, aligned on shaft. High counterfeit risk at this price point — verify with specialist before purchase. 4U weight, Stiff flex.
The most emotionally resonant collectible in the database. Supply decays; demand is sustained by one of the most beloved retirements in sports history. Sealed units in JP-region packaging command maximum premium. A hold indefinitely.
Prices last updated March 2026. All data based on tracked secondary market transactions.