KOTA KINABALU, Malaysia, 5 September 2003 — Top seed Chen Hong of China and Kenneth Jonassen of Denmark qualified for the third round in the men’s singles event of the Malaysia Open badminton tournament here yesterday. Chen beat compatriot Wu Yunyong 15-6, 15-10 while Jonassen brushed aside Sergio Llopis of Spain 15-2, 15-10.
Hosts Malaysia suffered two major casualties when the country’s fourth men’s singles Mohammed Roslin Hashim was shown the way out by his junior, Lee Chong Wei, losing 15-3, 9-15, 15-17 in a 90-minute game. Former champion Ong Ewe Hock was also dumped out after losing 6-15, 3-15 to Chetan Anand of India.
Yeoh Kay Bin, who ousted fifth seed Anders Boessen on the first day, only needed to turn up to advance to the third round when his opponent Dicky Palyama of the Netherlands withdrew because of a fever.
Birmingham World Championship silver medalist Wong Choong Hann and All-England champion Muhammad Hafiz Hashim also cleared the second round safely. Wong edged Andrew Smith of England 15-10, 15-0, while Hafiz beat Yohan Hadikusumo Wiratama of Hong Kong 15-7, 17-14.
In the women’s singles, top seeded Zhang Ning of China easily disposed off Judith Meulendijks of Holland 11-2, 11-6 while compatriot and second seed Gong Ruina beat South Korea’s Jun Jae Youn 11-8, 11-1.
