Chong Wei strolls into US Open second round

Former world number one Datuk Lee Chong Wei began his campaign in the US Open Grand Prix Gold with an easy 21-14, 21-13 victory over Japan's Kazumasa Sakai in the first round competition at the Suffolk County Community College, Brentwood, USA.

The 33-year-old who is appearing in his first Open tournament since serving an eighth-month ban for a doping offence, took just 37 minutes to show Sakai the exit.

The Penang born shuttler is scheduled to face Rasmus Fladberg of Denmark in the second round after the latter had defeated Austrian Matthias Almer 21-5, 21-16.

In New York, unseeded Chong Wei’s main challengers in the lower half of the draw are second seed and Australian Open runner-up Viktor Axelsen of Denmark, fifth seed Marc Zwiebler of Germany, Sho Sasaki of Japan, B. Sai Praneeth of India and Taiwan’s Hsu Jen-hao.

Another World Championship qualifier who is an independent shuttler Zulfadli Zulkifli was a little unlucky when he was shown the exit by third seeded Hans Kristian Vittinghus of Denmark.

The Danish player however, had to bring out his best to tame Zulfadli in one hour two minutes to prevail 19-21, 21-14, 25-23.