Lee Zii Jia will begin his 2022 BWF World Championships campaign, taking place from August 22 to 28 in Tokyo, against Brice Leverdez in the opening round.
The Asian champion, who did not play since the Malaysia Open in June and withdrew from the Commonwealth Games, faces the Frenchman in Japan once again after beating him at last year's Summer Olympics.
His coach, Liew Daren, has a tougher task as he takes on the in-form Viktor Axelsen.
Ng Tze Yong, who led Malaysia to a mixed team gold medal and reached the men's singles final at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, could face the winner of the match if he gets past Indonesia's Chico Aura Dwi Wardoyo and possibly Japan's Kanta Tsuneyama.
Meanwhile, defending champion Loh Kean Yew kicks off his title defence against Spanish shuttler Pablo Abián.
Commonwealth Games women's doubles gold medallists Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah are given a bye to the second round, where they could face national compatriots Valeree Siow-Low Yeen Yuan if the latter get past Indian pair Treesa Jolly/Gayathri Gopichand.
The other Malaysian female pairs, Vivian Hoo-Lim Chiew Sin and Anna Cheong-Teoh Mei Xing, have German assignments as they have Linda Efler-Isabel Lohau and Stine Kuespert-Emma Moszczynski respectively for company.
In the men's doubles segment, Malaysian badminton fans can breathe easy as all receive a first-round bye: Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi, Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik, Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin and Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong, who would be reunited for the first time since last year's world meet.
Also making her first appearance in a long time is Soniia Cheah, who was out of action since Tokyo 2020, as she faces Putri Kusuma Wardani of Indonesia.
Malaysia's other women's singles representative, S. Kisona, meets three-time Southeast Asian Games medallist Vũ Thị Trang in the first round.
Chen Tang Jie-Peck Yen Wei are the only Malaysian mixed doubles pair in action in the opening round, facing American duo Matthew Fogarty-Isabel Zhong.
