Cruise for Chong Wei and Lin Dan but Chen Long flounders

Shocking: China’s Chen Long returning a shot to Thailand’s Kantaphon Wangcharoen in a first round match yesterday. The Thai player won 23-21, 21-5.

IT was an easy start for Lee Chong Wei but rival Chen Long of China suffered his worst campaign in eight years at the Celcom Axiata Malaysian Open.

Chong Wei, seeking his 12th crown, cruised into the second round with an emphatic 21-13, 21-10 victory over Japan’s Kazumasa Sakai in just 33 minutes yesterday.