Home badminton favourite Chen Long reaches second round of China Open

Home favourite Chen Long of China dominated his opponent from the Netherlands yesterday in their first-round match of the China Open in Shanghai.   

The second seeded Chen scored an easy 21-13, 21-10 victory over Eric Pang of the Netherlands, who was unseeded. Chen will face Son Wan-ho of South Korea on Thursday at the Yuanshen Stadium.  

Top Hong Kong hope Hu Yun also advanced to the second round, coming back from a set down to beat China's Chen Yuekun 16-21, 21-19, 21-13. On Thursday, Hu plays number one seed Gao Huan, of China. 

In the women's singles, Hong Kong's Yip Pui-yin beat Yui Hashimoto of Japan 21-12, 27-25. Yip had 46 smash winners against 36 for Hashimoto. Yip faces seventh-seeded Wang Shixian of China on Thursday.