KUALA LUMPUR: Lee Zii Jia faces a tricky first hurdle in the Asia Championships in Manila from April 26-May 1.
The 24-year-old has been drawn against Chinas world No 54 Sun Fei Xiang in the Super 1000 showpiece that serves as the preview for the Hangzhou Asian Games in September.
Fei Xiang, the 2016 world junior champion, is making a comeback after having last seen action internationally in the Thailand Masters in January 2020.
If recent results are any indication, the Chinese mens singles shuttlers are more than capable of springing a surprise.
For instance, Weng Hong Yang won the Korea Open last week in only his second international tournament in 28 months.
But with the fine form that third seeded Zii Jia is riding on, he is projected to reach the semi-finals where he would most probably cross swords with Indonesias second seed Anthony Ginting.
Zii Jias probable opponent in the last 16 would be Indonesia's Sheshar Hiren Rhustavito, and eighth seed Kanta Tsuneyama of Japan should stand in his way in the quarter-finals.
Zii Jia will aim to become the sixth Malaysian to win the Asian title, following in the footsteps of Lee Chong Wei (2006, 2016), Foo Kok Keong (1994), Rashid Sidek (1991, 1992), Tan Aik Mong (1971) and Teh Kew San (1962)
Top seed Kento Momota will kick-start his hat-trick bid against Indonesias Chico Aura Dwi Wardoyo. He can expect stiff competition from Singapores reigning world champion Loh Kean Yew, Indonesian Thomas Cup hero Jonatan Christie, and Indias All--England runner-up Lakhsya Sen on his journey to final.
The other three Malaysian singles in the fray are Liew Daren, Ng Tze Yong and Aidil Sholeh Ali Sadikin.
Daren has been pitted against South Koreas Heo Kwang Hee, while Tze Yong and Aidil will start their campaigns against World Championships silver medallist K. Srikanth of India and Taiwan's Wang Tzu Wei, respectively.