# Chong Wei to face Frenchman Leverdez in second round
After suffering first round exits in the Denmark and French Open former world number one Lee Chong Wei got off to a relatively easy first round win in the USD700,000 Tahoe China Open Superseries Premier in Fuzhou, China on Wednesday.
The 35-year-old Malaysian hardly raised a sweat in his 21-5, 21-7 win over Hsu Jen Hao of Chinese Taipei at the Haixia Olympic Sports Center – completing his task in only 25 minutes.
However, Chong Wei will have to keep his nerves and composure in the second when he faces Frenchman Brize Leverdez – the man who knocked him out in the World Championships in Glasgow in August.
The defeat had a domino effect on Chong Wei – falling at the first hurdle in the Denmark and French Open superseries.
It is left to be seen if Chong Wei would be able to ride on his momentum to exact revenge on the Frenchman.
While Chong Wei stayed alive it was curtains for Lin Dan. The Chinese legend was chopped down in straight games in the first round – going down to Indonesian youngster Jonatan Christie 19-21, 16-21 in a 42 minute match.
Olympic champion Chen Long, however, kept China’s flag flying in the men’s singles with a 21-15, 21-12 in 53 minutes.
Thai ace Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk scraped through a 72-minute thriller to subdue Danish hope Hans Kristian Vittinghus 12-21, 21-19, 24-22. –BY RIZAL ABDULLAH
SELECTED FIRST ROUND RESULTS
MEN’S SINGLES
Lee Chong Wei (Mas) beat Hsu Jen Hao (Tpe) 21-5, 21-7
Jonatan Christie (Ina) beat Lin Dan (Chn) 21-9, 21-16
Brice Leverdez (Fra) beat Sourabh Verma (Ind) 21-14, 15-21, 21-11
Angus Ng Ka Long (Hkg) beat Anthony Ginting (Ina) 22-20, 21-18
Chen Long (Chn) beat Vincent Wong Wing Ki (Hkg) 21-15, 21-12
Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk (Tha) beat Hans Kristian Vittinghus (Den)12-21, 21-19, 24-22
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