ANAHEIM, California, 19 August 2005 — World No. 1 Lin Dan and Zhang Ning both maintained their blistering form by opening with dominating second-round victories at the 2005 badminton world championships on Wednesday.
Top seed Lin, who is bidding for his first world championship title, overpowered Kennevic Asuncion 15-1, 15-3 to reach the third round of the 2005 Anaheim worlds on Wednesday.
The 21-year-old Lin put on a punishing display of power badminton, needing just 20 minutes to win his men’s singles match at the Arrowhead Pond arena.
“He’s a proven player and number one in the world,” Asuncion, of the Philippines, said. “What makes him so great is his speed and the way he disguises his strokes.” Reigning world and Olympic champ Zhang looked equally impressive in her first women’s singles match as she crushed Taiwan’s Huang Chia-Hsin 11-6, 11-2. Both top seeds received byes through the first round.
This year’s men’s worlds field is wide open with high seeds Lin, Denmark’s Kenneth Jonassen, Denmark’s Peter Gade, Malaysia’s Lee Chong Wei, China’s Bao Chunlai and Olympic champ Taufik Hidayat, of Indonesia, all a threat for the title.
The 2003 world champion Xia Xuanze, of China, is not in Anaheim to defend his title.
Lin is in the top half of the draw and could face Denmark’s Gade in the semifinals if there are no big upsets in the next two rounds.
After Wednesday’s match Lin declined to talk to reporters, heading straight for the locker room to get ready for his next match against Shoji Sato of Japan.
Sato won his second-round match, rallying to beat Sweden’s Rasmus Wengberg 15-17, 15-7, 15-3.
Sato said he would prepare for the third-round match by watching film of Lin’s win over Asuncion.
“I have not beaten Lin Dan but I will try my best,” Sato said.
Lin has a flawless record against Sato. In their three career meetings, Lin has yet to lose a game.
Lin suffered a shock first round exit in the Athens Olympics but helped make up for it by maintaining his world number one status and winning five tournaments in the past year, including the German Open and the Denmark Open.
On a day when all the men’s top seeds were in action, number two seed Jonassen advanced by crushing Singapore’s Kendrick Lee Yen Hui 15-2, 15-2.
Other seeds to reach the third round on Wednesday included fourth seed Bao, No 7 Chen Hong of China, ninth seeded Ng Wei of Hong Kong, Gade and fifth seed Lee.
In women’s doubles, top seeded Chinese Yang Wei and Zhang Jiewen advanced to the quarterfinals with a 15-6, 15-13 win over Taiwan’s Chien Yu-Chin and Cheng Wen-Hsing.
Their biggest challenge will likely come from compatriots and reigning world champions Gao Ling and Huang Sui who defeated Li Yujia and Jiang Yanmei of Singapore 15-8, 15-9 in an evening match.
Denmark’s Jens Eriksen and Martin Hansen advanced to the third round of men’s doubles without even having to break a sweat. The were awarded a walkover after their second round opponents from Pakistan had problems getting visas and couldn’t make it to the event.
