PETALING JAYA: The Great Wall of China stands in the way of men’s singles shuttlers Lee Zii Jia and Leong Jun Hao in the Malaysian Open at the Axiata Arena in Bukit Jalil from Jan 7-12.
In the draw released yesterday, both Zii Jia and Jun Hao were placed in the top half and will have to overcome Chinese opponents to reach the later stages of the tournament.
World No. 6 Zii Jia will open his campaign against Taiwan’s Su Li-yang and a win could see him face China’s world No. 22 Lei Lanxi in the second round.
If the independent player clears both his early hurdles, he will likely take on Lanxi’s teammate and world No. 1 Shi Yuqi in the last eight.
Zii Jia’s fitness is still in doubt ahead of the tournament after he suffered an ankle injury in the World Tour Finals last month.
If the 26-year-old makes a full recovery in time for the competition, he will play in his first event under new coach Yeoh Kay Bin.
Former international Kay Bin was appointed as Zii Jia’s coach last week to replace Wong Tat Meng.
Meanwhile, world No. 29 Jun Hao, who will be making his debut in the tournament, will face tough opponents right from the start.
China’s world No. 16 Lu Guangzu stands in the 25-year-old’s way in his opening match and if Jun Hao manages to pull off an upset, he will most probably go up against Yuqi next.
Yuqi should have no trouble beating Japan’s world No. 15 Kenta Nishimoto in the first round.
For the record, Datuk Lee Chong Wei was the last Malaysian to win the men’s singles title in the home Open when he captured the crown in 2018.
Besides Yuqi and Zii Jia, the other seeded players in the top half of the draw are Denmark’s two-time Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen (No. 4) and another Chinese Li Shifeng (No. 7).
In the lower half of the draw, the seeded players are Axelsen’s teammate and defending champion Anders Antonsen (No. 2), Indonesia’s Jonatan Christie (No. 3), Thailand’s world champion Kunlavut Vitidsarn (No. 5) and Japan’s Kodai Naraoka (No. 8).
