The 2022 Malaysia Open is a badminton tournament that is taking place at the Axiata Arena, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from 28 June to 3 July 2022 and has a total prize of US$675,000.
Up-and-coming women's pair Valeree Siow-Low Yeen Yuan have been handed a massive boost ahead of their Malaysia Open debut next week.
The world No 71 have been told that they have qualified for the World Championships in Tokyo from Aug 21-28.
Valeree-Yeen Yuan were not expected to qualify as they were only placed 20th on the reserve list. However, the pair must thank their lucky stars as they made the 48-pair cut as the 46th qualifier following withdrawals.
The others are Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah, Vivian Hoo-Lim Chiew Sien and Anna Cheong-Teoh Mei Xing.
Malaysia also have a full representation in the men's doubles and mixed doubles.
Yeen Yuan, 20, is feeling over the moon as she will be competing in her first major event barely 18 months after getting promoted to the senior team.
She hopes to use the opportunity with Valeree to announce their arrival on the big stage — just like what Tokyo Olympics bronze medallists Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik did at the 2018 Nanjing edition.
Aaron-Wooi Yik rose to stardom that year by marking their debut with a quarter-final outing. Their gallant run was stopped by eventual winners Li Junhui-Liu Yuchen of China.
"When I was in the junior team, I did not really see the world meet as a massive thing. However, my perception changed when I followed with great interest Aaron-Wooi Yik's inspiring run to the quarter-finals in 2018," said Yeen Yuan.
"That world meet was a career-defining moment for that pair. Aaron-Wooi Yik made a name for themselves after that outing.
"It was only that time that I realised how much it means for a badminton player to play in a World Championships.
"I'm beyond thrilled to have qualified. Valeree and I will cherish this opportunity and try to follow in the footsteps of Aaron-Wooi Yik in our first world meet appearance.
"We want to play our hearts out just like them to make the country, family and ourselves proud on one of the biggest stages of badminton.
"We will now make every effort to get prepared, physically and mentally, for the big week."
Valeree-Yeen Yuan enjoyed a decent start to the senior tour last year by winning three lower-tier events — the Hellas International, Slovenia International and Latvia International.
They did well by reaching the semi-finals of the Syed Modi International – a World Tour Super 300 event – earlier this year but could not build on it after that.
Valeree-Yeen Yuan will take on Germany's world No 24 Isabel Lohau-Linda Efler in the first round of the Malaysia Open.