The two-time runner up in both the World Championships and the Olympic Games, the favourite for the world title in the absence of Chinese five-time champion Lin Dan, showed no signs of a struggle for victory in his first match, despite missing the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games because of an injury.

Lee overcame South Korea's Lee Dong-keun 21-11, 21-12.

"I still feel my injury, but I forget it, when I play," Lee said.

"I try not to think about it and I just do my very best."

Other medal challengers in the discipline also made it through at the Ballerup Super Arena, including home star Jan Ø Jørgensen.

The European champion secured his first win of the tournament against Maxime Moreels of Belgium, 21-15, 21-11.

"It was really nice to get started and play in the arena," Jørgensen said.

"I never doubted, that I was going to win, but I still felt my stomach rumbling a bit before we started out."

Elsewhere, Japan's Kento Momota became the first seeded player to be beaten, when he lost 18-21, 21-18, 21-12 to world number 20 Nan Wei from Hong Kong, while sixth seed Wang Zhengming of China eased past Poland's Michal Rogalski 21-15, 21-12.

Kristína Gavnholt advanced in the women's singles contest at the 2014 Badminton World Championships after defeating Jamie Subandhi ©Getty Images



In the women's singles, Scotland's Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games silver medallist Kirsty Gilmour was knocked out by Germany's Karin Schnaase 21-15, 21-15 and Kristína Gavnholt of the Czech Republic won 22-20, 21-23, 21-16 against American Jamie Subandhi.

Bulgaria's European medallist Petya Nedelcheva also went through after a close 23-21, 22-20 match against Ukraine's Marija Ulitina.

Malaysia's Tan Aik Quan and Lai Pei Jing will advance in the mixed doubles after their impressive 21-14, 21-17 victory over Hong Kong's Chan Yun Lung and Tse Ying Suet, while Niclas Nøhr and Sara Thygesen ensured there was more success for the home nation with a 19-21 21-8 21-16 win over Australia's Ross Smith and Renuga Veeran.

Sweden's Jonathan Nordh and Emelie Lennartsson will also progress after taking down Indonesia's Gideon Markus Fernaldi and Rizki Amelia Pradipta - a pair ranked 21 places above them - 21-18, 21-11, while South Korea's Kim Ki-jung and Kim So-young lost 14-21, 21-15, 21-18 at the hands of Chinese Taipei's Liao Min Chun and Chen Hsiao Huan.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


Related stories
August 2014: British Eurosport to broadcast Badminton World Championships live
August 2014: Injury forces withdrawal of Indonesian stars from Badminton World Championships
June 2014: Li-Ning to sponsor Badminton World Championships in Copenhagen