KUALA LUMPUR: A national championship is meant to be the most prestigious tournament in the country, where a player takes immense pride in winning it.
However, this doesn't seem to be the case for next week's National Badminton Championships, which make a long-awaited comeback after a four-year hiatus, starting next Tuesday at the Juara Stadium in Bukit Kiara.
The entry list is missing several prominent names, and this has left fans disappointed.
Top national players like Ng Tze Yong, Aaron Chia, Soh Wooi Yik, Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei won't be participating.
Among the professional ranks, Lee Zii Jia, Ong Yew Sin, Goh Soon Huat, Shevon Lai, Tan Kian Meng and Lai Pei Jing will be among the notable absentees.
For the men's singles competition, Leong Jun Hao, the 2019 runner-up, has been given the top billing, while professional pair Boon Xin Yuan-Wong Tien Ci are seeded first for the men's doubles.
National men's doubles coach Tan Bin Shen said earlier this week that their three best pairs, Aaron-Wooi Yik, Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun and the recently reunited Nur Izzuddin Rumsani-Goh Sze Fei, won't be playing in the national meet.
They are all preparing for their upcoming World Tour events.
While it's understandable that Izzuddin-Sze Fei have opted out as they are travelling long-haul for the US Open the following week (July 11-16), the same can't be said for Aaron-Wooi Yik and Wei Chong-Kai Wun, whose next assignment is the Korea Open scheduled for July 18-23.
The same goes for the rest of the World Tour regulars, including Ng Tze Yong in the men's singles.
It's undeniable that the top shuttlers are facing a hectic three consecutive weeks schedule, which also includes the Japan Open (July 25-30) and Australia Open (Aug 1-6). These events are important qualifying events for the Paris Olympics.
As the governing body for the sport, the BA of Malaysia (BAM) should have foreseen this and chosen the best available dates for the staging of such an important tournament as the national meet in order to uphold its prestige.
As for the professional players, BAM had made it a requirement for them to participate in the National Championships at least once in every two years in order for them to be allowed to compete abroad.
It's not immediately known if the national body has imposed the same policy this time.
"BAM should prioritise the national championships as the most important event in the domestic calendar and get all the key players to compete," stressed three-time national champion Datuk James Selvaraj.
"Players like Zii Jia should be part of it. After all, he's also a Malaysian right? Doesn't he want to become a national champion too?
"This is something very prestigious. As a former player, it's a very important title for me and I want to be one (as national champion).
"Planning can be done by BAM in advance. If players are involved in tournaments abroad, then they shouldn't have the national meet during this time.
"The idea is to get everyone to participate, no one should be exempted.
"A strong national closed event is good for all participants and this is where you unearth new talent. You'll never know if there are other players outside the national team that will rise from nowhere."
In fact, no players should think they are too big for the National Championships.
Even the legendary Lee Chong Wei, during his heyday, would take time off his busy schedule to be part of it.
Chong Wei went on to win the men's singles crown 10 times consecutively from 2002-2011 before deciding that he would let the others have a chance at it.
But for the current batch of top players such as Zii Jia and Aaron-Wooi Yik, it's only right if they make becoming national champions part of their major goals.
At the last edition in Ipoh in 2019, Zii Jia went into the tournament as the top seed, but he suffered an embarrassing second round exit, losing 21-19, 21-14 to Sabah's Datu Mohd Shah Eizlan Sardik.
Zii Jia made the final in 2018, but finished runner-up to Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin.
Aaron-Wooi Yik came close in Ipoh before losing 21-12, 21-19 to Yew Sin-Ee Yi in the final. Soong Joo Ven is the only returning defending champion this time.
National Championships seeding
(Top four only)
Men's singles: 1. Leong Jun Hao, 2. Soo Joo Ven, 3. Lee Shun Yang, 4. Ong Ken Yon.
Women's singles: 1. Goh Jin Wei, 2. K. Letshanaa, 3. Wong Ling Ching, 4. R. Kasturi.
Men's doubles: 1. Wong Tien Ci-Boon Xin Yuan, 2. Beh Chun Meng-Goh Boon Zhe, 3. Wan Arif Junaidi-Yap Roy King, 4. Low Hang Yee-Ng Eng Cheong.
Women's doubles: 1. Vivian Hoo-Lim Chiew Sien, 2. Felicia Fong-Flora Yong, 3. Go Pei Kee-Low Yeen Yuan, 4. Ng Qi Xuan-Desiree Siow.
Mixed doubles: 1. Yap Roy King-Valeree Siow, 2. Lim Tze Jian-Desiree Siow, 3. Choong Hon Jian-Goh Pei Kee, 4. Wong Tien Ci-Lim Chiew Sien.