Datuk Lee Chong Wei breezed into the second round when he easily outclassed England’s Andrew Smith in straight sets in his opening match in the 2010 Korean Open Badminton Championships at Seoul’s Olympics Fencing Stadium on Wednesday.
The 27-year-old world number one men’s singles player settled the match in 21-4 and 21-14.
He next meets minnow Marc Zwiebler of Germany.
Besides, Chong Wei, Kuan Beng Hong also marched into the second round after despatching South Korea’s Jang Young Soo in a three-set thriller of 25-23, 18-21, 21-16 and will have to contend with Jang’s compatriot Park Sung Hwan next.
However, Malaysia’s other singles players Tan Chung Seang Chong Wei Feng were knocked out of the USD300,000 (RM1,000,000) tournament when they lost their respective opening matches.
The same fate befell Wong Mew Choo, Malaysia’s top women’s singles player, when she went down to Mi Zhou of Hong Kong in 21-10, 10-21, 11-21.
Malaysia’s men’s doubles pair of Gan Teik Chai-Tan Bin Shen were also shown the exit after they lost to Taiwanese pair Fang Chieh Min-Lee Sheng Mu in 19-21, 16-21.
