Akane Yamaguchi is aiming for a third title in a row ©Getty Images

World number one in waiting Akane Yamaguchi will begin her Badminton World Federation (BWF) Thailand Open account against Russia's Evgeniya Kosetskaya as she bids to earn a third major title in a row.

The 22-year-old World Championship bronze medallist won the women's final at her home Japan Open yesterday, a tournament doubling as a test event for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

She also won the Indonesia Open earlier this month and her stunning form will see her confirmed as the new world number one when the rankings are next updated.

Yamaguchi will be a big home hope for gold at Tokyo 2020 and will also be eyeing success at this year's World Championships which take place in Swiss city Basel next month.

Her opponent Kosetskaya won bronze at last month's European Games in Minsk but the Japanese should be too strong.

Despite her ascendancy to the top she will start as third seed as she attempts to win her third consecutive BWF World Tour event at Bangkok's Indoor Stadium Huamark.

Chinese Taipei's outgoing world number one Tai Tzu-ying is not in the draw so China's Chen Yufei starts as top seed.

She will play South Korea's An Se-young in her first round clash with Japan's second seed Nozomi Okuhara, the 2017 world champion, beginning against Zhang Beiwen of the United States.

Okuhara lost to Yamaguchi in the Japan Open final and will be looking to bounce back by defending the Thailand title she won last year.

The host nation will look to sixth seed Ratchanok Intanon, the 2013 world champion who won her home tournament in 2017.

Thailand will look to Ratchanok Intanon for home glory ©Getty Images
Thailand will look to Ratchanok Intanon for home glory ©Getty Images

She has been handed a first round clash with Germany's Yvonne Li.

In the men's draw, Japan's world number one and reigning world champion Kento Momota starts as top seed.

The 24-year-old successfully defended his Japan Open title yesterday as the hosts won both the men's and women's singles events in the same year for the first time.

He will play India's Subhankar Dey in the first round.

China's second seed Shi Yuqi is absent through injury with Chinese Taipei's third seed and Indonesia champion Chou Tien-chen meeting South Korean Lee Dong-keun in round one.

Fourth seed Chen Long, China's reigning Olympic champion, will begin against Wang Tzu-wei of Chinese Taipei.

Defending champion Kanta Tsuneyama of Japan, seeded seventh, will a play a qualifier to begin his tournament.

Action at the Super 500 tournament begins tomorrow.

Finals across the singles and doubles events will be held on Sunday (August 4).