Source:REUTERS/VCG
[Saba Sports News] From the draw for the Paris World Championships, the Malaysian badminton team has drawn an excellent slot. In the men’s singles, Lee Zii Jia will face South Korea’s Jeon Hyeok Jin in the first round. Considering Jeon’s performance in the Sudirman Cup, even if Lee hasn’t played for half a year, he is expected to easily defeat him. In the next round, he will face Li Shifeng or Tanaka Yushi. The Malaysian Badminton Association seems optimistic that Lee has fully recovered. However, it will depend on his actual performance in the first match. In the men’s doubles, the three Malaysian pairs – Aaron Chia/Soh Wooi Yik, Goh Sze Fei/Nur Izzuddin Rumsani, and Junaidi Arif/Roy King Yap – are all in the top half. The second-seeded Chia/Soh will have a bye in the first round and their second-round opponent could be a Spanish or Scottish pair, which should not be too difficult. Junaidi Arif/Roy King Yap will face Japanese duo Kenji Mitsuhashi/Hiroki Okamura in the first round. If they win, they could meet Thailand’s Dechapol Puavaranukroh/Kittinupong Kedren in the second round. If they can beat the Thai pair and reach the last 16, they may face Chia/Soh for a spot in the quarterfinals, ensuring Malaysia secures at least one place in the top 8. For the Malaysian badminton team, this is considered a very good draw.