* World champ Chen Long dumped in Tokyo
* V Shem-Wee Kiong in the quarter-finals
* Malaysia’s campaign in the mixed doubles also over
Defending champion Datuk Lee Chong Wei’s first superseries tournament after coming back from an eight-month ban for doping went up in smoke at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium in the USD275,000 Yonex Japan Open when he lost to his arch rival Lin Dan in the second round on Thursday.
The five-time world champion and two-time Olympic champion advanced to the quarter-finals with a 21-17, 21-10 in 46 minutes on a day when reigning world champion Chen Long was also shown the exit.
Chen Long, the top seed was at the receiving end when compatriot Tian Houwei scored a rare win – a 21-16, 21-17 triumph in 43 minutes.
Chong Wei’s defeat did not come as a surprise as he also struggled against Thailand’s Boonsak Ponsana in the first round before winning 10-21, 21-15, 21-16 in 56 minutes. The Malaysian had two play two matches in the qualifying rounds to make the main draw.
Malaysia’s top doubles pair Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong, however, gave some cheer to the Malaysian camp when they advanced to the quarter-finals with another three-set win.
The Malaysians won 15-21, 22-20, 21-16 against Denmark’s Kim Astrup-Anders Skaarup Rasmussen in 63 minutes.
V Shem-Wee Kiong will take on Indonesia’s Angga Pratama-Rickey Karanda Suwardi who beat Denmark’s Mads Conrad Petersen-Mads Pieler Kolding 21-18, 21-15 in their second round match.
However it was the end of the road for Malaysia in the mixed doubles when World No 17 Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying lost 15-21, 18-21 to top seeds Zhang Nan-Zhao Yunlei of China.
Selected Results (Second Round)
Men’s singles
Lin Dan (Chn)) beat Datuk Lee Chong Wei (Mas) 21-17, 21-10
Tian Houwei (Chn) beat Chen Long (Chn) 21-16, 21-17
Kashyap (Ind) beat K. Srikanth (Ind) 21-11, 21-19
Viktor Axelsen (Den) beat Hans-Kristian Vittinghus (Den) 21-10, 21-18
Men’s doubles
Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong (Mas) beat Kim Astrup-Anders Skaarup Rasmussen 15-21, 22-20, 21-16
Kim Gi-jung-Kim Sa-rang (Kor) beat Mathias Boe-Crasten Mogensen (Den) 18-21, 21-18, 21-16
Mixed doubles
Zhang Nan-Zhao Yunlei (Chn) beat Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying (Mas) 21-15, 21-18
Tontowi Ahmad Liliyana Natsir (Ina) beat Liao Min Chun-Chen Hsiao Huan (Tpe) 21-17, 21-11
