TheStar SINGAPORE: Wong Choong Hann and Mohd Hafiz Hashim gave away only three points each in winning their first round matches of the Singapore Open Badminton Championships to stay on course for a possible fourth meeting this year. The Malaysian duo are expected to cross paths at the Singapore Indoor Stadium today in the third round after demolishing their young Singaporean opponents. Choong Hann scored a 15-2, 15-1 win over Chew Swee Hau in only 22 minutes while Hafiz was eight minutes swifter in his 15-0, 15-3 demolition of China-born Huang Chao, whose age given by Singapore officials is only 13-years-old. In today’s second round, Choong Hann will be up against South Korean Park Sung-hwan while Hafiz will play against Thai number one Boonsak Polsana. The third round matches will be played in the evening. Choong Hann, who forfeited the rubber game in a second round loss to China's Lu Yi in the preceding China Open due to fever, said: “It was a good start and a good win even though I was up against an unknown. “I was not affected much by a disturbing cough that came after the fever. I hope to take off from here. There is a possiblity that I will play Hafiz again and if it materialises, I hope to end the losing streak against him here.†Hafiz has beaten the Malaysian number one three times this year – at the All-England and at the Malacca and Selangor Open tournaments. Malaysian Open champion Lee Cheong Wei also opened his campaign with an easy 15-3, 15-3 win over 15-year-old Singaporean Derek Wong, who is the son of former SEA Games champion Wong Shoon Keat. The other Malaysians men's singles players who won their first round matches included Yeoh Kay Bin, Kuan Beng Hong, Law Yew Thien, Salim Sameon and K. Yogendran. Those who fell by the wayside included James Chua and Lee Tsuen Seng.
