One day after pulling off an upset win in the final against top seed Chen Ti of Taiwan at the Rama Gardens Hotel, the 29-year-old Chung showed no signs of exhaustion and won his sixth straight match after local hope Kirati retired with cramps at 3-6 6-3 1-0.

Chung, whose first trophy of the year came in Bangkok on Sunday, will have a re-match with Chen in the second round as the top seed also won his first round match, eliminating South Korean Nam Hyun-woo 7-5 6-3.

Five seeded players were in action yesterday, but only eighth-seeded Zeng Shao-xuan of China was a casualty. He was knocked out by Oh Seung-hoon of South Korea 7-5 6-3.

Australian second-seed Nick Lindahl, a semi-finalist last week, had no problem tackling China's Ma Rong 6-4 6-2. American Jonathan Chu, seeded-fifth, downed Vietnam's Do Minh-Quan 6-1 7-5 and Israel's seventh-seeded Victor Kolik picked off Stephen Donald of Australia 6-4 7-5.

In the fight between

the unseeded players, An

Jae-sung of South Korea beat countryman Lim Hyun-soo 6-2 6-2.

Today seven Thais will be in action with at least two guaranteed to make it trough to round two. Peerakit Siributwong is to face compatriot Palanupap Puranawit, a qualifier, while the other all-Thai match features Kittipong Wachiramanowong against qualifier Pitichart Chokchaicharoen.

Thailand's big hope, Weerapat Doakmaiklee, faces a battle against Briton Myles Blake, while wild card entrant Pattrayu Chumpetch is up against sixth-seeded Petar Jelenic of Croatia and Peerakiat Siriluethaiwattana is drawn to face fourth-seeded Tasuku Iwami of Japan.

Lerpong Amsa-ngiam

The Nation