Malaysias Lee Chong Wei smashes against Nigerias Ola Fagbemi during the mens singles second round badminton match of the World Badminton Championships at the Gachibowli Stadium in Hyderabad on August 12, 2009. -Photo by AFP

HYDERABAD, India Men's top seed Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia moved into the round of 16 at the World Badminton Championships with a 21-11, 21-14 win over Nigeria's Ola Fagbemi on Wednesday.

 

Lee, the world's No 1-ranked player and silver medallist at last year's Olympics, set up a third-round clash with Vietnam's Tien Minh Nguyen, who ousted France's Brice Leverdez 21-14, 21-16.

 

In a day of few surprises, all the favourites won through to the final 16.

 

Third-seeded Dane Peter Gade had a 21-11, 21-12 victory over Japan's Sho Sasaki. Gade will next play Hong Kong's Yan Kit Chan after the 10th seed struggled past Ireland's Scott Evans 21-16, 19-21, 21-12.

 

Indonesia's Taufik Hidayat, seeded fourth, had a 21-17, 21-15 win over France's Mathieu Lo Ying Ping.

 

In the women's singles, No 1 seed Zhou Mi of Hong Kong also won on Wednesday, defeating New Zealand's Michelle Chan Ky. She will come against Ai Goto in round three after the Japanese provided one of few upsets by ousting 14th-seed Malaysian Mew Choo Wong 18-21, 21-12, 23-21.

 

Saina Nehwal, seeded sixth, gave Indian fans something to cheer with her 21-10, 21-17 defeat of Russia's Anastasia Prokopenko, while China's Lan Lu (No 7), France's Hongyan Pi (No 8) and Hong Kong's Chen Wang (No 9) were other leading players to progress.

 

Results (x denotes seeding)

 

Men's singles

 

Second round Lee Chong Wei (MAS x1) bt Ola Fagbemi (NGR) 21-11, 21-14; Taufik Hidayat (INA x4) bt Mathieu Lo Ying Ping (FRA) 21-17, 21-15; Peter Gade (DEN x3) bt Sho Sasaki (JPN) 21-11, 21-12; Yu Hsing Hsieh (TPE x9) bt Wei Ng (HKG) 24-22, 20-22, 21-18; Sony Dwi Kuncoro (INA x6) bt Przemyslaw Wacha (POL) 21-12, 21-13; Simon Santoso (INA x13) bt Derek Zi Liang Wong (SIN) 21-13, 19-21, 21-16; Tien Minh Nguyen (VIE x14) bt Brice Leverdez (FRA) 21-14, 21-16; Boonsak Ponsana (THA x16) bt Wu Joe (NZL) 21-16, 21-6; Chan Yan Kit (HKG x10) bt Scott Evans (IRL) 21-16, 19-21, 21-12.

 

Women's singles

Second round Zhou Min (HKG x1) bt Chan Ky Michelle (NZL) 21-11, 21-15.

Opinion

Editorial

Islamabad march
Updated 27 Nov, 2024

Islamabad march

WITH emotions running high, chaos closes in. As these words were being written, rumours and speculation were all...
Policing the internet
27 Nov, 2024

Policing the internet

IT is chilling to witness how Pakistan — a nation that embraced the freedoms of modern democracy, and the tech ...
Correcting sports priorities
27 Nov, 2024

Correcting sports priorities

IT has been a lingering battle that has cast a shadow over sports in Pakistan: who are the national sports...
Kurram ceasefire
Updated 26 Nov, 2024

Kurram ceasefire

DESPITE efforts by the KP government to bring about a ceasefire in Kurram tribal district, the bloodletting has...
Hollow victory
26 Nov, 2024

Hollow victory

THE conclusion of COP29 in Baku has left developing nations — struggling with the mounting costs of climate...
Infrastructure schemes
26 Nov, 2024

Infrastructure schemes

THE government’s decision to finance priority PSDP schemes on a three-year rolling basis is a significant step...