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World champion Xia exits at Malaysian Open Top-ranked Lin Dan headed a list of seeded players to cruise into the Malaysian Open second round while fellow Chinese world champion Xia Xuanze suffered an early exit on Wednesday. Xia, a semi-finalist in last year's tournament, lost 15-12 and 15-0 to crowd favourite and world number six Hafiz Hashim of Malaysia in a lopsided first-round encounter. The 27-year-old Chinese now ranks a lowly 18th after poor form and injuries robbed him of a chance to defend his world title in California next month. "I'm taking it step by step but I was pleased with my first win over Xuanze, considering the fact that I had never taken a set from him previously," said Hafiz who will meet Vietnam's Nguyen Thien Minh in the second round Thursday. Malaysian shuttler Yeoh Kay Bin pulled up another setup, beating 16th seeded Bjoern Joppien of Germany, 15-8, 15-2. Lin Dan, who has won five of his last eight tournaments, began his campaign by defeating France's Erwin Kehlhoffner 15-7, 15-6 while number two seed Kenneth Jonassen from Denmark brushed aside Malaysian qualifier Law Yuoohien 15-5, 15-7. Number three seed Peter Gade of Denmark beat Lee Tsuen Seng 15-7, 10-15, 15-8. Defending champion Lee Chong Wei, seeking a date with Singapore Open champ Taufik Hidayat in the quarter-finals, beat Korean youngster Lee Cheol Ho 15-6, 17-15. Hidayat, who captured last week's Singapore Open, eliminated Simon Maunoury of France, 15-6, 15-9. All the World Championship-bound players are competing in Kuala Lumpur as the four-star Malaysian Open is the final event prior to the August 15-21 tournament in Anaheim, California.
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