Malaysia's Iconic Shuttler Chong Wei, Four Doubles Pairs Advance To All England Second Round

KUALA LUMPUR, March 9 (Bernama) -- Malaysia's iconic shuttler Lee Chong Wei led Malaysia's challenge into the second round of the All England Open Badminton Championships in Birmingham. The world number one singles player took 35 minutes to crush Brice Leverdez of France, 21-15, 21-12. Chong Wei who is also the tournament's top seed will next face world number 25th Wang Tzu Wei of Taiwan who beat Wei Nan of Hong Kong 17-21, 21-19, 21-14. Another national player, Zulfadli Zulkiffli bowed out to Lin Dan of China in 11-21, 12-21. Also progressing to the second round were national men's doubles pair of Goh V Shem/Tan Wee Kiong who trounced the Japanese pair of Takuro Hoki/Yugo Kobayashi 21-15, 21-18. The world number one doubles' pair will face a new pair from China, Liu Xiaolong/Xu Chen who routed Hiroyuki Endo/Yuta Watanabe of Japan, 21-17, 21-14. Meanwhile, national women's doubles pair, Vivian Ho/Woon Khei Wei had to work hard before subduing the Thai pair, Puttita Suparijakul/Sapsiree Taerattanachai to qualify for the second round. The Malaysian pair fought for one hour and 17 minutes before overcoming the Thais 18-21, 21-11, 21-17. The Malaysian pair, ranked 11th in the world will, face third seeds Jung Kyung Eun/Shin Sung Chan of South Korea who beat another Thai pair Jongkolphan Kititharakul/Rawinda Prajongjai, 21-19, 21-19. Another national women's pair, Ong Yew Sin/Teo Ee Yi however lost to Taiwan's Lu Ching Yao/Yang Po Han 14-21, 21-13, 18-21. Meanwhile, two national mixed doubles pairs of Chan Peng Soon/Goh Liu Ying and Tan Kian Meng/Lai Pei Jing comfortably qualified for the second round. Sixth seeds Peng Soon/Liu Ying defeated Nico Ruponen/Amanda Hogstrom of Sweden 21-12, 21-19 and will meet Zhang Nan/Li Yinhui of China next. Kian Meng/Pei Jing who were seeded eighth took 34 minutes to trounce Taiwan's Lu Ching Yao/Chiang Kai Hsin 21-14, 21-19. The pair now ranked ninth in the world are expected to face new South Korean pair, Yoo Yeon Seong/Kim Ha Na who earlier beat Pranaav Jerry Chopra/N.Sikki Reddy of India 21-19, 22-20. -- BERNAMA