Chinese rule during badminton start

China emphatically demonstrated their dominance of badminton as all of their doubles top seeds eased to victories on the opening day of London 2012 competition.

The Asian powerhouse boasts the top pairs in each of the three doubles disciplines at Wembley Arena and there were no mistakes as all featured in the evening session.

 

Zhang Nan and Zhao Yunlei were hardly troubled as they brushed off the challenge of Germans Michael Fuchs and Birgit Michels in Group A, winning 21-6 21-7 in 28 minutes.

Such was their superiority that the longest rally of the match was only 19 strokes.

It was a similar story in the women’s doubles as Wang Xiaoli and Yu Yang saw off Canada’s Michele Li and Alex Bruce 21-11 21-7 in Group D.

In the men’s event, Cai Yun and Fu Haifeng were not detained long by Australians Ross Smith and Glenn Warfe in Group A, winning 21-11 21-17.  Zhao was also in action earlier in the day in the women’s doubles, in which she is seeded second with Tian Qing, and enjoyed a 21-11 21-12 win over Poon Lok Yan and Tse Ying Suet of Hong Kong.

 Also impressive from China was women’s third seed Li Xuerui, who was a late addition to the team but looked imperious as Peru’s Claudia Rivero was vanquished 21-5 21-6 in just 22 minutes.

 Yet the Chinese may not have it all their own way, with the All England men’s doubles champions, the second-seeded Chung Jae-sung and Lee Dong-dae beating former world premiers Howard Bach and Tony Gunawan 21-15 21-19.

 With the top seeds in the singles not in action, former Olympic and world champion Taufik Hidayat took centre stage to make a winning start.

 The 2004 Athens gold medallist, seeded 11th, proved too strong for the Czech Republic’s Petr Koukal, winning 21-8 21-8 in Group O.

 Yet for Koukal, his country’s flagbearer at the opening ceremony, just taking part represented a victory having successfully beaten testicular cancer.

 “About a year ago I was not sure I would be alive,” the world number 78 told the press. “It’s winning just being here, speaking to you guys.

 “It’s my family in the crowd - my mum, my dad, my doctor who was behind my treatment, and four or five friends.

“For my family it’s meaningful just having me here playing.”

Germany’s Marc Zwiebler made swift work of the world’s number 209, Mohamed Ajfan Rasheed of the Maldives.

Rasheed has been invited as part of the sport’s attempts to promote itself in developing Olympic countries but he was no match for the 14th seed, losing their group K match 21-9 21-6 in 32 minutes.

Guatamala’s Kevin Cordon, 38th in the world, proved a popular winner as he came from behind to overcome Sweden’s Henri Hurskainen 15-21 21-12 21-14.

 

Conditions in the arena were warm with organisers taking the decision leave the air conditioning switched off for most of the time to prevent it affecting the flight of shuttlecocks.

 

The heat was not a hindrance to Indonesia’s third seeds Tontowi Ahmad and Liliyana Natsir, the 2008 silver medallists and reigning All England champions, who were in fine form.

 

Ahmed and Natsir won the first point of London 2012 and had a 21-16 21-12 win against Indians Jwala Gutta and Diju V wrapped up in 27 minutes.

 

It was a tough day for Gutta, who because of a controversial scheduling change by the Badminton World Federation had to play again in the afternoon.

 

She had no better luck second time around as she and Ashwini Ponnappa were beaten 21-16 21-18 by Japan’s fourth seeds Mizuki Fujii and Reika Kakiiwa.