KUALA LUMPUR: World number one and top seed Datuk Lee Chong Wei started his defence of the Japan Open title in style with an easy 25-23, 21-8 straight sets first round win over China’s Zhu Weilun at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium yesterday.

The Beijing Olympics men’s singles silver medallist who took over the world number one spot from China’s Lin Dan, took just 37 minutes to tame his Chinese opponent.

In the second round today, the 24-year Penangite who beat Indonesia’s Taufik Hidayat to clinch the title in 2007, would face Japan’s Sasaki Sho who beat Englishman Andrew Smith in his first round match yesterday.

Apart from Chong Wei, two other Malaysian shuttlers - Roslin Hashim and Sairul Amar Ayob - made it to the second round of the men’s singles after overcoming their respective opponents.

Roslin, losing finalist at the Taiwan Open last week, had to dig deep into his reserves to overcome Chan Yan Kit of Hong Kong 18-21, 21-19, 21-13 in three sets while Sairul swept aside fellow Malaysian Lee Tsuen Seng 21-17, 21-18 in straight sets.

In the second round, Sairul would face a daunting task after drawing second seeded Indonesian Sony Dwi Kuncoro while Roslin faces Thailand’s seventh seeded Boonsak Ponsana.

Malaysian women’s number one Wong Mew Choo, the fifth seed, outlasted Japan’s Yu Hirayama 21-16, 8-21, 22-20 in a three-set thriller and meets Beijing Olympic Games silver medallist Maria Kristin Yulianti of Indonesia in the second round.

A Malaysian pair also advanced into the second round of the mixed doubles competition when Lim Khim Wah/Wong Pei Tty overcame China’s Shen Ye/Pan Pan 23-21, 12-21, 21-15 to earn a second round date with Indonesian pair Flandy Limpele/Greysia Polli.

Another mixed double pair, Mohd Zakry Abdul Latiff/Ng Hui Lin however went down to South Korean pair Yoo Yeon-seong/Kim Min-jung 21-23, 28-26, 21-12 in three sets.

Meanwhile, Malaysia’s third ranked men’s doubles pair Mohd Zakry/Mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd Tazari received a bye in the first round and face South Korean pair Sung Hyun-ko/Yi Goo-kwon in the second round. — Bernama