Defending champion Lee Zii Jia got off to a flying start with a convincing first-round win in the All-England.
The world No. 7 took 43 minutes to beat Kenta Nishimoto of Japan 21-16, 21-17 in Birmingham on Wednesday to set up a meeting with Brian Yang of Canada in the men’s singles second round.
Seasoned campaigner Liew Daren joins him in the second round and faces fourth seed Chou Tien-chen of Taiwan.
It was a mixed day for Malaysia in the men’s doubles.
Fourth seeds Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik overcame jitters to beat Christopher Grimley-Matthew Grimley of Scotland 21-14, 21-19 in the opener.
They face He Jiting-Tan Qiang of China, who prevented an all-Malaysia affair in the second round by beating reigning German Open champions Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani 21-15, 19-21, 21-11.
Independent shuttlers Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi made it to the second round after a clinical 21-14, 21-12 win over Callum Hemming-Steven Stallwood of England. They face Indonesians Shohibul Fikri-Bagas Maulana next.
Two other pairs Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun and Tan Wee Kiong-Tan Kian Meng lost in contrasting styles.
Debutants Wei Chong-Kai Wun came close to pulling off the biggest upset but went down fighting 17-21, 21-18, 21-23 to third seeds Takuro Hoki-Yugo Kobayashi of Japan while Wee Kiong-Kian Meng went down 14-21, 20-22 to Ben Lane-Sean Vendy of England.
In the women’s doubles, Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah had a lucky break as their opponents Mayu Matsumoto-Wakana Nagahara of Japan withdrew and they had no problems beating the replacements Jaqueline Lima-Samia Lima of Brazil 21-8, 21-12. They face Rin Iwanaga-Kie Nakanishi of Japan next.
It was over for Vivian Hoon-Lim Chiew Sien who went down 9-21, 12-21 to third seeds Kim So-yeong-Kong Hee-yong of South Korea.
As for the mixed doubles, Hoo Pang Ron-Cheah Yee See beat Venkat Gaurav-Juhi Dewangan of India 21-9, 21-13; Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Ping defeated Adnan Maulana-Mychelle Crhystine of Indonesia 21-14, 13-21, 21-16; and Ong Yew Sin-Goh Liu Ying ousted Callum Hemming-Jessica Pugh of England to clear their respective first round matches.
They will play Praveen Jordan-Melati Daeva of Indonesia, Supak Jomkoh-Supissara Paesampran of Thailand and Zheng Siwei-Huang Yaqiong of China respectively on Thursday.
The campaign is over for Chen Tang Jie-Peck Yen Wei who lost 10-21,18-21 to Dechapol Puavaranukroh-T. Sapsiree of Thailand while Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie also bowed out with a 18-21, 16-21 defeat to Mathias Thyrri-Amalie Magelund of Denmark.
