LAST year’s bronze medallist Liew Daren got his World Championships campaign off to a great start when he checked into the second round yesterday.
The World No 36, who has been struggling with his form of late, upset 29th-ranked Khosit Phetpradab of Thailand 21-19, 21-13 in the first round in Basel, Switzerland.
Daren, who lost to eventual champion Kento Momota of Japan in the semi-finals of last year’s edition, will play Denmark’s high-flying Anders Antonsen next for a place in the third round.
When contacted, the 32-year-old said: “It’s a huge relief to record a winning start as my confidence level has been at a low before this meet.
“Khosit is also not an easy opponent to play against. I can only hope that things will get better from now on.”
On his second-round match against the Danish World No 9, Daren added: “Going up against a young player, I need to be positive and also not lose my focus.”
National No 1 Lee Zii Jia recorded a comfortable 21-17, 21-15 win over Brazil’s Ygor Coelho in his first-round match.
The World No 13 plays China’s Lu Guang Zu in the second round today.
In the men’s doubles event, Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi reached the second round by overcoming Germany’s Bjarne Geiss-Jan Colin Volker 21-12, 21-19.
The World No 20 will face compatriots, Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong, who received a first-round bye, next.