World number one Lee Chong Wei faces a tough first test at this week's Japan Open as he bids to recapture the title he won in 2007.
The top seed, runner-up last year, must beat in-form Boonsak Ponsana in the first round. The 11th-ranked Thai reached the final at the China Masters at the weekend, losing to home favourite Lin Dan.
Lee admitted he has been struggling with an unspecified knee problem he suffered before the China Masters. 'I still felt pains when I practised today but I prepared for the China Masters and Japan Open pretty well. I'm ready to do my best,' said Lee.
The winner of that match will take on either Hsieh Yu-hsing of Taiwan or Indonesia's Simon Santoso before a probable third-round clash against defending champion Soni Dwi Kuncoro of Indonesia.
A strong-looking top half of the draw also includes Athens Olympic gold medallist Taufik Hidayat, also of Indonesia, and the 2008 Asian champion Park Sung-Hwan of South Korea. 'I took part in this tournament many times but I've never won, although I finished runner-up before. It's the jinx I want to bury. So this is the tournament I really want to win,' said Hidayat.
The withdrawal of world number two Chen Jin of China leaves the bottom half wide open and boosts the chances of third seed Peter Gade of Denmark, who won the title in 1998 and 1999.
His main rivals are Tien Minh Nguyen of Vietnam, fellow Dane Joachim Persson and local hope Sho Sasaki.
