Lee Zii Jia has received an early boost ahead of the Macau Open after a late withdrawal reshaped the men's singles draw.
The Malaysian star was originally scheduled to face Indonesia's Zaki Ubaidillah in a challenging first-round encounter. Zaki arrived in Macau in strong form, having won the Thailand Masters earlier this year and reached the semi-finals of last week's Australian Open.
However, the Indonesian's withdrawal has handed Lee a more manageable opening assignment. Instead, the world No. 64 will take on Indonesia's Prahdiska Bagas Shujiwo, ranked No. 42 in the world, in what will be their first career meeting.
While Lee cannot afford to underestimate his opponent, the revised draw removes one of the tournament's in-form players from his section and could help him settle into the competition more smoothly.
The changes have also benefited several other Malaysian players.
Indonesia's Anthony Ginting has withdrawn from the tournament, allowing independent shuttlers Cheam June Wei and Jacky Kok to gain direct entry into the main draw without needing to navigate the qualifying rounds.
Justin Hoh also received a more favourable first-round matchup. The Malaysian was initially drawn against Singapore's higher-ranked Jason Teh but will now face Thailand's Kantaphon Wangcharoen after the reshuffle.
The adjustment could improve Hoh's chances of advancing and building momentum in the tournament.
Source: The Star
In the women's singles competition, Malaysia will be without Wong Ling Ching, who has withdrawn from the event. Attention will now turn to independent players Goh Jin Wei and S. Kisona, who remain in the main draw and will carry the country's hopes in the discipline.
With several late changes reshaping the tournament, Malaysian players have been presented with fresh opportunities to make an impact. For Lee Zii Jia in particular, the revised draw offers a valuable chance to build confidence and put together a strong run in Macau.
