KUALA LUMPUR: With less than two weeks before the Paris Olympics, former world No. 1 Lee Chong Wei has one message for Lee Zii Jia and Co: "Don't let pressure get to you but focus on making the nation proud".
The Paris Olympic draws were released on Friday with Lee Zii Jia receiving a decent draw in the men's singles.
The world No 7 is expected to beat Spain's Pablo Abian and Sri Lanka's Viren Nettasinghe in Group G , setting up a potential last-16 clash against Indonesia's Anthony Sinisuka Ginting. Reigning world champion Viktor Axelsen is on the opposite side of the draw.
Meanwhile, women's doubles Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah face a tough challenge in Group D against top seeds Chen Qing Chen-Jia Yi Fan of China, world No. 6 Mayu Matsumoto-Wakana Nagahara of Japan and Indonesia's world No. 9 Apriyani Rahayu-Siti Fadia Silva Ramadhanti.
Chong Wei hopes the world No. 13 Pearly-Thinaah will seize the moment and produce a strong showing during their maiden Olympic appearance.
"It is a tough draw, and things cannot be changed. Pearly-Thinaah should enjoy their matches and look after their health," Chong Wei told Bernama on Saturday.
Independent shuttler Goh Jin Wei is in Group H in the women's singles with South Korea's Kim Ga Eun and South Africa's Johanita Scholtz.
In the mixed doubles, Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei are expected to finish in the top two and qualify for the quarter-finals from Group D.
The group also includes second seeds Feng Yan Zhe-Huang Dong Ping of China, Vinson Chiu-Jennie Gai of the United States and Singapore's Terry Hee-Jessica Tan.
The top two pairs from the group will advance to the quarter-finals.
The men's doubles draw, involving former world champions Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik, will be conducted at a later date following a Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) hearing recently.
The badminton event in Paris starts on July 27 and ends on August 5. - Bernama
