Fuzhou: The second men’s singles player from Malaysia Chong Wei Feng completed a sensationally shocking first round match by upsetting world No. 7 Son Wan-ho of South Korea 21-14, 22-20 in 48 minutes.
Top seed Chen Long also made a successful start to defend his China Open title with a comfortable win over Tien Minh Nguyen on Wednesday with 21-17, 21-8.
However, Kenichi Tago is out after defeat to Gao Huan of China, while Tian Houwei from China also suffered an early exit.
World number three Jan O Jorgensen had no such problems, though, the Dane dominating from the outset against Boonsak Ponsara to advance 21-13 21-13. Jorgensen will clash with Lin Dan in the second round. Lin cruised past Taiwan’s Hsu Jen-hao 21-15, 23-21 in the first round.
Others that made it to second round were fourth seed Tommy Sugiarto, and last year’s beaten finalist Wang Zhengming.
Sugiarto had to halt a resurgent Brice Leverdez in their opening game before eventually progressing with a 21-16, 21-12 win, while Wang overcame Takuma Ueda 21-18, 21-17.
Elsewhere, seventh seed Hu Yun beat Hans-Kristian Vittinghus 21-17, 21-18.
In the women’s draw, all five seeds in action on Wednesday booked second-round spots.
Ratchanok Intanon began with a 21-19 21-12 win over Hui Xuerui, while sixth seed Saina Nehwal needed three games to beat Sayaka Takahashi 21-14 19-21 21-17.
Second seed, and 2013 runner-up, Wang Shixian was taken to a deciding game by Busanan Ongbumrungpan, but the Chinese eventually prevailed 21-12 14-21 21-12.
Wang Yihan and Tzu Ying Tai are also through, but Porntip Buranaprasertsuk – a beaten semi-finalist last year – is out, defeated 21-6 21-16 by Bae Yeon-ju. Upset of today in women’s singles came when reigning women’s singles world champion Carolina Marin of Spain lost to 14-21, 17-21 Taiwan’s Tai Tzu-ying.
In men’s doubles, second seed Mohammad Ahsan-Hendra Setiawan was sent packing by Li Junhui-Liu Yuchen of China 21-23, 8-21 in 33 minutes, while Malaysian men’s doubles pair of Hoon Thien How-Tan Boon Heong went down 15-21, 21-18, 15-21 to 4th seeds Hiroyuki Endo-Kenichi Hayakawa of Japan.
