Akane Yamaguchi began her women's singles title defense at the BWF World Championships by trying not to feel like the champ as she earned a 21-12, 21-15 victory Tuesday over Indonesia's Gregoria Mariska Tunjung.
The 25-year-old top-seeded Yamaguchi took 34 minutes to wrap up the second-round match at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium, avenging a quarterfinal loss to Tunjung at the Malaysia Masters last month.
"I was prepared for my opponent's shots and was able to move well," Yamaguchi said. "I want to play without concern for being the defending champion."
Yamaguchi, who claimed her maiden world championship crown last year in Huelva, Spain, received a bye into the second round.
The winner of this year's All England Open Badminton Championship, Yamaguchi will face 14th-seeded compatriot Sayaka Takahashi in the third round.
Takahashi earlier battled back from a game down to beat South Korea's Kim Ga Eun 9-21, 21-16, 21-13.
Among other Japanese in action on the tournament's second day, mixed doubles pair Kyohei Yamashita and Naru Shinoya overcame the 10th-seeded Danish duo of Mathias Christiansen and Alexandra Boje 21-13, 21-18.
Another Japanese mixed doubles team, Hiroki Midorikawa and Natsu Saito, defeated France's Fabien Delrue and Vimala Heriau 21-14, 21-13.
Related coverage:
Badminton: Kento Momota makes winning start at worlds in Tokyo
