Mixed day for Malaysia, England in Singapore
News 2:09 PM
World No 1 Lee Chong Wei was stretched while India Open winner Saina Nehwal repeated her win over Malaysia’s Wong Mew Choo in the first round of the Li Ning Singapore Open on Wednesday.
Netherlands’ Dicky Palyama also made news when he upset No 5 seed Jan Jorgensen at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.Chong Wei, who is also top seed in the event, needed almost 50 minutes to subdue France’s Brice Leverdez 21-9, 15-21, 21-15 while another Malaysia Hafiz Hashim, also got off to a winning start when he beat England’s Andrew Smith 21-14, 21-11 to book his place in the second round.
Chong Wei, who slipped and hurt his knee during the match, however, said that Leverdez played well and made it difficult for the Malaysian.
“He played very well and is a difficult opponent. He was quick to adapt to the conditions and paced himself well,” said Chong Wei. 
“But this match is over and I have to concentrate on my next,” added Chong Wei who will play Indonesia’s Rumbaka Hayom in the second round.
Hafiz will take on Palyama in the second round after the Dutch turned on the style to beat Jorgensen 21-18, 16-21, 21-19.
However, Malaysia’s Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah and Hoon Thien How-Ong Soon Hock crashed out in the men’s doubles.
Palyama showed great determination and stamina to edge the more talented Dane, one of the players expected to take over Denmark’s challenge from Peter Gade when he retires.
But it was the end of the road for last week’s India Open runner-up Mew Choo who once again found Saina too hot to handle. In fact, this time, Saina had an easier time running away with a 21-8, 21-5 win.
Last week Saina was stretched over three games before nailing the India Open title.
In the men’s doubles, Malaysia’s Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong, top seeds, also progressed to the second round with a 21-14, 21-19 win over South Korea’s Kim Ki Jung-Shin Baek Cheol.
England’s doubles pairs scored impressive wins in the mixed doubles when Robert Blair-Gabrielle White and Anthony Clark-Heather Olver registered wins over Thailand’s Sudket Prapakamol-Saralee Thoungthongkam and China’s Qiu Zihan-Luo Yu respectively.
Despite dropping the first game 21-18, Blair-White came back strongly to win the next two games 21-15, 21-18 while Clark-Olver won in straight games 21-16, 21-16.
But Nathan Robertson-Jenny Wallwork, groomed for the Commonwealth Games in October, were shocked by Singapore’s Triyachart Chayut-Yao Lei 19-21, 21-13, 21-13.
In the women’s singles, Japan’s Eriko Hirose, the fifth seed, was also upset when she was beaten by Chinese Taipei’s Tai Tzu Ying 21-17, 21-16. Hong Kong’s Yip Pui Yin, the eighth seed, was also shown the exit by China’s Li Xuerui.
Posted by Lucas Liau
on 2:09 PM.
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