European hope and second seed Jan O Jorgensen of Denmark was blown away by unseeded Kazumasa Sakai of Japan in straight sets in the second round in the prestigious Yonex All-England Badminton Championships in Birmingham on Thursday.
The Japanese won 21-16, 21-19 in a 36 minute Barclaycard Arena to earn a quarter-final clash China's Shi Yuqi who upset sixth seed Angus Ng Ka Long of Hong Kong also in straight sets 21-16, 21-14 in 40 minutes.
However, the biggest upset came from unseeded Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk of Thailand who stunned Olympic champion Chen Long of China. The Thai battled for a 21-16, 21-19 win in 50 minutes.
It has been a miserable outing for Chen Long in Europe. He was also beaten in last week's German Open where he lost to Wang Tzu-wei of Taiwan in the semi-finals. The German Open was his first competitive tournament since the Rio Olympics.
Saensomboonsuk, winner of the Yonex Denmark Open last year, will face German Open winner Chou Tien-chen of Taiwan in the quarter-finals. The Taiwanese packed off Indonesia's Sony Dwi Kuncoro 21-13, 21-11.
Top seed and world No 1 Lee Chong Wei, who nearly did not make it to the All-England after picking up a left knee injury during training in Kuala Lumpur, is also through to the quarter-finals.
After brushing aside Brice Leverdez of France in the first round the 34-year-old Malaysian played a cautious game but did enough to beat Tzu-wei 21-18, 21-18 in the second round.
Chong Wei will now face China's Tian Houwei who ripped through a 21-13, 21-5 win over H.S. Prannoy of India in 33 minutes.
Lin Dan, who failed to get past the second round in the German Open, kept China's flag flying with a 21-16, 21-11 win over compatriot Huang Yuxiang and will be up against third seed Viktor Axelsen of Denmark. The Dane won 21-10, 21-11 against Chinese youngster Zhao Junpeng.
In the women's singles top seed and world No 1 Tai Tzu Ying of Taiwan defeated Japan's Minstsu Mitani of Japan 27-25, 21-11 to advance to the quarter-finals. For a place in the semi-finals the Taiwanese will face India's Rio Olympic's silver medallist and sixth seed P.V. Sindhu who made shortwork of Indonesia's Dinar Dyanh Ayustine 21-12, 21-4.
India's London Olympics bronze medallist Saina Nehwal ((No 8 seed) will meet third seed Sung Ji-hyun of South Korea in the last eight. Nehwal came through a 21-18, 21-10 win over Fabriene Deprez of Germany while Ji-hyun was involved in a three-set battle against Hong Kong's Yip Pui Yin before prevailing 15-21, 21-16, 21-9 in a 66-minute match.
Other Asians who made the quarter-finals include Thailand's former world No 1 and world champion Ratchanok Intanon who outplayed Taiwan's Hsu Ya-ching 21-14, 21-15 and fourth seed Sun Yu of China – 21-15, 21-14 winner of compatriot and world junior champion Chen Yufei.
SELECTED RESULTS (SINGLES)
Second Round
Men
Lee Chong Wei (Mas) beat Wang Tzu-wei (Tpe) 21-18, 21-18
Tian Houwei (Chn) beat H.S. Prannoy (Ind) 21-13, 21-5
Viktor Axelsen (Den) beat Zhao Junpeng (Chn) 21-10, 21-11
Shi Yuqi (Chn) beat Angus Ng Ka Long (Hkg) 21-16, 21-14
Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk (Tha) beat Chen Long (Chn) 21-16, 21-19
Kazumasa Sakai (Jpn) beat Jan O Jorgensen (Den) 21-16, 21-13
Chou Tien Chen (Tpe) beat Sony Dwi Kuncoro (Ina) 21-13, 21-11
Lin Dan (Chn) Huang Yuxiang (Chn) 21-16, 21-11
Women
Tai Tzu Ying (Tpe) beat Minatsu Mitani (Jpn) 27-25, 21-11
P.V. Sindhu (Ind) beat Dinar Dyah Ayustine (Ina) 21-12, 21-4
Saina Nehwal (Ind) beat Fabriene Deprez (Ger) 21-18, 21-10
Sun Yu (Chn) beat Chen Yufei (Chn) 21-15, 21-14
Carolina Marin (Spn) beat He Bingjiao (Chn) 15-21, 21-19, 21-10
Ratchanok Intanon (Tha) beat Hsu Ya Ching (Tpe) 21-14, 21-15
Sung Ji-hyun (Kor) beat Yip Pui Yin (Hkg) 15-21, 21-16, 21-9
