Taufik Hidayat, The Other Big Name on Parade at The Wembley Arena

LONDON, KOMPAS.com - Fifth seed Chen Long of China tumbled out of the world badminton championships on day one on Monday, beaten by little-known Kevin Cordon of Guatemala. Cordon, the world number 36, clinched victory on his fourth match point 21-19 8-21 27-25 in a 74-minute thriller.

“It’s the biggest win in my life by far,” Cordon told reporters. “Since March I have been training in Spain with the national team so that has been good.

I can play more tournaments in Europe. “To play against one of the top players in the first round is not a good draw but that is what you are training for. So I just said I will play my best game.”

His second round opponent is Finland’s Henri Hurskainen who beat England’s Carl Baxter 21-8 21-19. Chen, 22, failed to convert three match points.

“I never thought I would lose but I am still young,” he said. Top seed Lee Chong Wei started his bid for a maiden world title with a 21-15 21-17 win over Thailand’s Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk.

The Malaysian world number one was made to work hard by the gritty Thai who took five points in a row in the second game to lead 11-8. But Chong Wei, aided by some deceptive returns of serve, regained control to move safely into the second round.

“I didn’t play very well and made a few mistakes. It sometimes happens in the first round,” he told reporters. Former world and Olympic champion Taufik Hidayat, the other big name on parade at the Wembley Arena on the first morning, was held at 6-6 in the opening game by Peru’s Rodrigo Pachecho Carrillo.

But the Indonesian soon pressed on to lead 15-7 before clinching a 21-10 21-14 victory. World titleholder Chen Jin breezed past Estonia’s Raul Must 21-8 21-10. Olympic champion Lin Dan, seeking a fourth world crown, faces Kestutis Navickas in his first match on Tuesday.

The clash is first on court on day two of the tournament which is a full-scale dress rehearsal for the Olympic badminton event at the same venue next July. In the women’s singles, top seed Wang Shixian of China and Denmark’s Tine Baun, Europe’s leading hope, start their campaigns. Wang plays Bulgarian Linda Zechiri and Baun faces Hong Kong’s Chan Tsz Ka.