Top seed and world number one Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia led the charge of Asian shuttlers in the men's singles on the opening of the badminton competition at the Rio Olympics in Rio de Janeiroon Thursday.
The Malaysian, who is hoping to win his first Olympic gold medal after twice losing in the final in the last two editions in London (2012) and Beijing (2008), hardly raised a sweat in his 21-2, 21-3 win over Suriname's Soren Opti in his opening Group A match.
Also winning his first round encounter without any problems was second seed Che Long of China. Chen Long romped home to a 21-7, 21-10 win over Sri Lanka's Niluka Karunaratne in 40 minutesin his Group P match.
Defending champion Lin Dan of China, who is gunning for his third successive gold medal after winning his first in Beijing in 2008, needed only 36 minutes to outplay Austria's David Obernosterer in his opening Group E match.
In the women's singles second seed Wang Yihan of China had no difficulty in her opening Group P match with a 21-7, 21-12 win over Ireland's Chloe Magee in a 38 minute match.
Former world champion Ratchanok Intanon of Thailand was hardly stretched in her 21-14, 21-13 win over Estonia's Kati Tolmoff in Group L.
Top top seed Carolina Marin of Spain, the reigning world champion, was too strong for Finland's Nanna Vainio – winning 21-6, 21-4 in 22 minute – in a Group A match.
India's two representatives in the women's singled – Saina Nehwal and P. V. Sindhu also cleared the first hurdle in the respective group matches.
Fifth seed Nehwal, however, was stretched before prevailing 21-7, 21-17 against Brazil's Lohaynny Vicente in 39 minutes in a Group G match.
Sindhu, who is seeded ninth in Rio, had a much easier task in her opening Group M match against Laura Sarosa of Hungary. In the Indian won 21-8, 21-9 in 29 minutes.
Tawan's Tai Tzu Ying, the number eight seed, came off with a 21-11, 21-9 win in her Group N match in 27 minutes.
SELECTED RESULTS (Aug 11)
Men's singles
Group A
Lee Chong Wei (Mas) beat Soren Opti (Sur) 21-2, 21-3
Group E
Lin Dan (Chn) beat Favid Obernosterer (Aut) 21-5, 21-11
Group L
Viktor Axelsen (Den) beat Boonsak Ponsana (Tha) 21-14, 21-13
Group P
Chen Long (Chn) beat Niluka Karunaratne (SL) 21-7, 21-10
Women's singles
Group A
Carolina Marin (Spn) beat Nanna Vainio (Fin) 21-6, 21-4
Group L
Ratchanok Intanon (Tha) beat Kati Tolmoff (Est) 21-14, 21-13
Group P
Wang Yihan (Chn) beat Chloe Magee (Ire) 21-, 21-12
Group N
Tai Tzu Ying (Tpe) beat Elisabeth Baldauf (Aut) 21-11, 21-9
Group G
Saina Nehwal (Ind) beat Lohaynny Vicente (Bra) 21-17, 21-17
Group M
P.V. Sindhu (Ind) beat Laura Sarosa (Hun) 21-8, 21-9
