Taiwan’s top male singles badminton players yesterday advanced to the third round at the BWF World Championships in Japan after sweeping their opponents.
World No. 4 and fourth-seeded Chou Tien-chen defeated world No. 53 Jason Anthony Ho-shue of Canada in straight games 21-15, 21-12 in 36 minutes.
Chou needed more than an hour to get past 2019 World Championships bronze medalist Sai Praneeth of India in his opening match, but finished better against the Canadian, winning the final four points of the first game and last six points of the second game to hasten his victory.
Photo: AFP
The 32-year-old Taiwanese veteran, who claimed his fourth Taipei Open singles title last month, next faces 14th seed Lee Cheuk Yiu of Hong Kong in the third round for a spot in the quarter-finals.
Taiwan’s world No. 16 Wang Tzu-wei upended world No. 24 Lu Guangzu of China 21-18, 21-16 in a second-round match that ended in less than an hour.
Wang, who defeated Lu for the first time in three tries, would next face world No. 7 Jonatan Christie of Indonesia.
Photo: EPA-EFE
In the women’s singles, Taiwan’s world No. 38 Pai Yu-po lost to Thailand’s world No. 20 Phittayaporn Chaiwan 21-18, 21-13 in 42 minutes.
In men’s doubles, all three Taiwanese pairings advanced to the second round.
Lee Jhe-huei and Yang Po-hsuan beat Ruben Jille and Ties Van Der Lecq of the Netherlands 21-14, 21-17 in a brisk 32 minutes.
Photo: AFP
In the second round, the world No. 40 duo are to face compatriots Lee Yan and Wang Chi-lin, who advanced on a bye.
Meanwhile, world No. 23 Lu Ching-yao and Yang Po-han beat Spain’s Joan Monroy and Carlos Piris 21-11, 21-9, setting them up to face Malaysia’s Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik in the second round.
In mixed doubles, Yang Po-hsuan and Hu Ling-fang, ranked world No. 33, beat Scotland’s Adam Hall and Julie MacPherson 21-13, 21-16 in a quick 25 minutes to advance to the second round, where they are to play France’s Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue.
However, Taiwan’s Lee Yang and Yang Ching-tun lost 21-15, 19-21, 21-8 to Indonesia’s Rinov Rivaldy and Pitha Haningtyas Mentari.
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