Former world No. 2 Lee Zii Jia is embarking on a crucial mission to rebuild his world ranking, making his US Open debut following a lengthy injury layoff. Currently ranked No. 65, the Malaysian shuttler will launch his Super 300 campaign at California State University against Vietnam’s world No. 61 Nguyen Hai Dang in their first-ever meeting.

Should Zii Jia advance, he faces a potentially tricky second-round clash against India’s former world No. 1 K. Srikanth. The 28-year-old is determined to regain sufficient ranking points during the North American tour to secure regular spots in higher-tier tournaments, which would help him avoid the need for qualifying rounds in Super 500, 750, and 1000 events.

Joining him in the men’s singles main draw is compatriot Cheam June Wei, who successfully navigated the qualifying stages. The world No. 73 will face Taiwan’s Ting Yen Chen in the opening round, looking to rebuild his own momentum following an early exit at the recent Macau Open.

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