KUALA LUMPUR: As fate would have it, Lee Zii Jia has been drawn against Hong Kong's Angus Ng Ka Long in the first round of the Korea Open from July 18 to 23.
All eyes will be on Zii Jia's appearance in the Super 500 event in Yeosu, not only because he returned sooner than expected from his indefinite break — this is set to be the first tournament under his new coach, Wong Tat Meng.
It puts Tat Meng in an awkward situation of having to face his former player almost swiftly after cutting short his coaching stint with the Hong Kong national team to return home and help Zii Jia in his quest to win gold at the Paris Olympics next year.
Tat Meng's appointment was seen as controversial due to time circumstances as it took place barely a month after Zii Jia spent two weeks in Hong Kong for joint-training with the national team as part of his preparations for the Asia Championships in Dubai in April.
Interestingly, Zii Jia went on to lose to Angus in the opening hurdle of the continental meet for his second defeat of the year.
Angus also knocked Zii Jia out during the Indonesia Masters last 16 in January.
But Zii Jia should really pounce on the opportunity if he intends to use the Korea Open as a launch pad to revive his dwindling fortunes.
World No. 1 Viktor Axelsen of Denmark, who made a triumphant return from injury by winning the Indonesia Open two weeks ago, along with in-form world No. 2 Anthony Ginting, the reigning Asian and Singapore Open champion, removed their names from the tournament before the withdrawal deadline on Monday.
Still, Zii Jia's road to the final will not be easy as Japan's Kodai Naraoka, India's H.S. Prannoy and former world champion Loh Kean Yew will be standing in his way.
Zii Jia could set up an all-Malaysian clash in the last 16 with Ng Tze Yong, who faces India's Mithun Manjunath in the opener.
Also in the upper half of the draw is Leong Jun Hao, who landed Kean Yew as his first-round opponent.
Thanks to a spate of late withdrawals in the men's singles, world No. 41 Cheam June Wei earned a direct entry into the main draw.
But the odds are against him as he takes on Taiwanese ace Chou Tien Chen.