Japan's Kanto Momota, the men's top-ranked player, will begin his Bangkok campaign next month against local star Khosit Phetpardab at the Yonex Thailand Open after yesterday's draw.
Japan's Kento Momota. afp
The Jan 12-17 tournament is one of the three premier events to be held in three consecutive weeks at Muang Thong Thani's Impact Arena. It will be followed by the Jan 19-24 Toyota Thailand Open and the HSBC BWF World Tour Finals 2020 from Jan 27-31.
The first two events, both Super 1000 tournaments, offer a total purse of US$1 million each, while the 2020 season finale has a total prize fund of $1.5 million.
Also at the Yonex Thailand Open, local player Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk will face world No.2 Chou Tien-chen of Taiwan.
In the women's singles, No.1 Tai Tzu-ying, also from Taiwan, will face Thailand's Nitchaon Jindapol.
Fourth seed Ratchanok Intanon, one of Thailand's best hopes, will meet Singapore's Yeo Jia Min.
Other top players who entered yesterday's draw included world No.3 Anders Antonsen and No.4 Viktor Axelsen of Denmark in the men's events, and Japan's Akane Yamaguchi and Nozomi Okuhara of Japan, Spain's Carolina Marin, and India's PV Sindhu in the women's singles.
In the Totoya Thailand Open, Momota will take on compatriot Koki Watanabe in the first round.
In the women's singles, Tai was drawn to meet Thailand's Supanida Katethong. Ratchanok will be up against India's Saina Nehwal, while India's Sindhu will face Thailand's Busanan Ongbamrungphan.
The list of players qualified for the World Tour Finals will be determined at the conclusion of the Toyota Thailand Open.
The top-eight players and pairs for each category in the HSBC BWF Road to Bangkok Rankings after the Toyota Thailand Open will be eligible to play in the season finale.
The three events will be held under strict Covid-19 protocols without spectators at the venue. Despite the latest surge in Covid-19 cases in Thailand, organisers remain confident that the tournaments will go ahead as scheduled.
However, the Chinese Badminton Association has confirmed the withdrawal of its players from the events due to travel restrictions.