KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 13: Olympic champion Taufik Hidayat cruised into the second round of the World Badminton Championships on Monday with a routine 21-13, 21-7 win over unseeded Spaniard Jose Antonio Crespo.

The Indonesian was barely stretched and sealed victory in less than 25 minutes.

Hidayat is seeking to regain the world title he last held in 2005 and his appearance on Monday morning was the highlight of an otherwise low-key start to the week-long tournament.

The 15,000-capacity Putra stadium was sparsely populated as Malaysians preferred to await the arrival of men's singles gold medal prospect Lee Chong Wei and exciting doubles pair Koo Kien Keat and Tan Boon Heong.

Several leading seeds have byes in the first round and will not be in action until Wednesday.

Hidayat, seeded only eight, had at one time been a doubt for the championships as his wife awaited the birth of their child.

But baby daughter Natarina arrived 10 days ago.

If all goes to plan, Hidayat will meet world No 1 and defending champion Lin Dan of China in the quarter-finals. Lin and second seed Lee begin their campaigns on Wednesday evening.

In the women's singles, England's 16th seed Tracey Hallam held off local hope Li Ya Lydia Cheah 21-16, 19-21, 21-11, building on some excellent performances in the Sudirman Cup in Glasgow in June.

England are looking for a repeat title from mixed doubles pair Nathan Robertson and Gail Emms when they join the fray later in the week.

On Tuesday, Denmark stalwart Peter Gade, seeded five, is the biggest European name in action when he takes on unseeded Andrew Smith of England. China's Chen Jin (3) and Chen Yu (6) also take the stage.

Monday’s results (x denotes seed):

Men's singles:

First round: Ng Wei (HKG) bt Roman Spitko (GER) 20-22, 21-15, 21-12; Dicky Palyama (NED x15) bt Kaveh Mehrabi (IRI) 21-15, 21-13; Nabil Lasmari (ALG) bt Kennevic Asuncion (PHI) 21-17, 21-10; Taufik Hidayat (INA x8) bt Jose Antonio Crespo (ESP) 21-13, 21-7; Anup Sridhar (IND) bt Juergen Koch (AUT) 21-15, 21-19; Muhammad Hafiz B Hashim (MAS x13) bt Stuart Gomez (AUS) 21-7, 21-8; Scott Evans (IRL) bt Eric Go (US) 21-12, 14,21, 21-17; Lee Tsuen Seng (MAS) bt Petr Koukal (CZE) 21-16, 21-8; Shoji Sato (JPN x10) bt Bobby Milroy (CAN) 21-9, 21-15; Lee Hyun Ii (KOR) bt Lee Yen Hui Kendrick (SIN) 21-7, 9-21, 21-18; Kenneth Jonassen (DEN) x7 bt Pedro Yang (GUA) 21-8, 21-4; Nicholas Kidd

(ENG) bt Kestutis Navickas (LTU) 21-15, 10-21, 21-12; Przemyslaw Wacha (POL) x12 bt Ville Lang (FIN) 21-6, 13-21, 21-16; Simon Maunoury (FRA) bt Klaus Raffeiner (ITA) 23-21, 21-16.

Women's singles:

First round: Maria Kristin Yulianti (INA x15) bt Maja Kersnik (SLO) 21-8, 21-9; Li Li (SIN) bt Chloe Magee (IRE) 21-11, 21-6; Tracey Hallam (ENG x16) bt Lydia Cheah Li Ya (MAS) 21-16, 19-21, 21-11; Ella Karachkova (RUS) bt Anu Nieminen (FIN) 21-14, 10-21, 21-12; Kamila Augustyn (POL) bt Elena Prus (UKR) 21-13, 21-12; Charmaine Reid (CAN) bt Filipa Lamy (POR) 21-15, 21-14; Saina Nehwal (IND) bt Jeanine Cicognini (SUI) 21-12, 21-12; Wang Chen (HKG) x6 bt Lucia Tavera (ESP) 21-2, 21-11; Julia Wong Pei Xian (MAS) bt Linda Zechiri (BUL) 21-8, 21-16; Tine Rasmussen (DEN) x12 bt Agnese Allegrini (ITA) 21-16, 21-10; Claudia Rivero (PER) bt Shannon Pohl (USA) 21-11, 21-9.—Agencies