Taufik crashes out; qualifier Alamsyah through

JAKARTA: World Championship runner-up Taufik Hidayat succumbed to unseeded Sho Sasaki of Japan in the first round of the Japan Super Series badminton tournament on Wednesday in Tokyo after a gruelling contest.

Having taken the first set 21-18, the world number four and fourth seed surrendered the next two sets 21-23, 19-21 to Japanese Sho, who goes on to face Park Sung-hwan of South Korea on Thursday.

Separately, Indonesian men’s singles qualifier Alamsyah Yunus advanced to the second round after beating Brice Leverdez of France in the first round on Wednesday. He had beaten Japan’s Japan’s Rei Sato and Shohei Hoshino in qualification.

Alamsyah will face the skilful Chen Long of China in the next round. Meanwhile, Alamsyah’s compatriot Hayom Rumbaka was sent packing by Bao Chun Lai of China.

All of Indonesia’s women’s singles shuttlers bowed out of Tokyo in their first matches.

Adriyanti Firdasari lost to Jiang Yanjiao of China in straight sets 15-21, 21-23, and Maria Febe Kusumastuti fell to Yip Pui Yin of Hongkong 17-21, 16-21.

Having received a bye in the first round, top seed and world number one mixed doubles partnership Nova Widianto and Lilyana Natsir will start their tournament against Chinese pair Zhang Nan and Zhao Yunlei on Thursday. — JP