The first world badminton championships got underway in Bangkok on Saturday (4 November). Seventy-three leading players from seventeen countries were taking part. The four-day tournament began with twenty-one men's and six women's singles matches on the opening day.

SYNOPSIS: The twenty-seven matches were played on four courts, starting with a men's singles. The world federation, founded in Hong Kong last February, aims to lift standards and get more people playing the sport. In this game, Pakistan's Tarig Wadood, on the far court, is scoring two points against Moez Alibhai of Kenya. Wadood went on to win the match.

Leading officials of the federation watched with interest, and members of the Nigerian team were plugging for their compatriot, Samson Egbeyeni, in the nearer court. Egbeyeni was Nigeria's top singles player four years in a row, but found Bandid Jaiyen of Thailand too much to cope wit here. Bandid comfortably disposed of him fifteen-two, fifteen-two, although he was seeded only one place above Egbeyeni.

Han Tsien, in the nearest court, is considered the second-best of three Chinese players taking part in the tournament. He had too many shots for his first-round opponent, Ranil Wijesekera of Sri Lanka.

Spectators enjoyed a women's singles match between the number seven seed, Tay Hoe See, of Singapore, in the nearest court, and seventh seed, Grace Edwards of Nigeria. Miss Edwards used her strength and courtcraft well to win eleven-two, eleven-four, eleven-one. The tournament was to end on the eighth on November.