The Chinese national badminton players are off to a good start at the 2018 BWF World Championships in Nanjing as all players advanced to the second round.
World No. 8 Chen Long romped to a 21-13, 21-15 victory over Hsu Jen Hao of Chinese Taipei in 57 minutes in his tournament debut.
Both players were patient throughout the match, exchanging long shots from the backcourt. The first game saw the lead changing hands several times, but Chen played more steadily with fewer errors and claimed the win.
In the second game, although Hsu chased valiantly from being 4-0 down, Chen won eight consecutive points after leading by merely one point at 8-7, and maintained his advantage to the end.
The 2016 Olympic champion has been having a hard season, especially given his recent first-round eliminations in the Malaysia and Indonesia Open.
Elsewhere in the men's singles draw, World No.3 Shi Yuqi bested Adam Mendrek of the Czech Republic 21-13, 21-11, earning himself a second round tie against England's Rajiv Ouseph.
With all the Chinese men's players in the top half of the draw, Shi will probably take on Lin Dan if they both defeat their second round opponents.
China's young rising star Huang Yuxiang overcame Cao Cuong Pham of Vietnam to book a duel with World No.1 Viktor Axelsen, who eased into the second round with straight-game win.
