RAJIV OUSEPH avenged his Yonex European Championships semi-final defeat by Jan O Jorgensen in Manchester in April by beating him to reach the third round of the Yonex BWF World Championships in Paris this afternoon.

It wasn’t just that the three-times English National champion won but the way that he went about the task that was so impressive.

He dominated the opening game with strong smashes and clever net play to take it 21-12 and then showed a lot of nerve after seeing Jorgensen recover to 19-19 after trailing 17-14 and 19-16 in the second.

In the end Ouseph needed four match points before getting the better of the European runner-up and 11^th seed 25-23, having saved a game point at 23-22 down.

But his 34-minute victory brought a dubious reward as he must now face world No 1 and top seed Lee Chong Wei, the Yonex All England champion, in tomorrow’s third round.

Ouseph said: “This made up for the Europeans. I think I played better today and perhaps he didn’t play quite as well. The win means a lot because this is my first World Championships.”

England’s new singles coach Kenneth Jonassen sent Ouseph into action with some good advice. Ouseph said, ‘He told me to be ready because Jan is going to be aggressive’.”

Jonassen, of course, would be the right person to hand out the advice as a former team-mate and coach of fellow Dane Jorgensen.

Ouseph heeded the advice and in a confident display, showed confidence at the net as well as aggression with his penetrating smashes.

Even Jorgensen admitted: “Kenneth had given Raj some good tips. But the match had hinged on little percentages (that didn’t go his way).”

Of the third-round clash with Lee Chong Wei, US Open champion Ouseph said: “He wants to win the World Championships so I am definitely going to be the underdog. But I’ll go out to enjoy it. Jan has beaten him before so I don’t see why I can’t.”

Carl Baxter was also bidding to join Ouseph in the third round but he went out against ninth seed Boonsak Ponsana - but not without showing plenty of fighting spirit.

The Thailand player won 21-18 21-17 in 42 minutes but Kent’s Baxter, who is now based in Petts Wood, can be pleased at pushing him all the way, although he will be frustrated at not making more of a 15-12 lead in the second game

“This was my first World Championships and he is one of the best players in the world. He was just that bit sharper and, of course, has more experience. He also anticipates well and is good at reading the game.

“But I prepared well for the Championships and Kenneth has helped with a few little things to improve my game. He’s still good on court and at feeding the shuttle and he has worked on technical and tactical things to help me improve.

“It’s the Bitburger tournament next week and as I have prepared well for the World Championships I might as well use that level of fitness and preparation at the Bitburger.”

England’s two big doubles hopes are still going strong. Nathan Robertson and Jenny Wallwork are through to the last 16 of the mixed doubles after beating Bulgaria’s Stilian Makarski and Diana Dimova 21-9 21-12.

Now they face Denmark’s defending world and reigning European champions Thomas Laybourn and Kamilla Juhl boosted by the fact that they beat them in the second round of the Yonex All England Championships in Birmingham in March.

Robertson, who won the mixed world title with Gail Emms in Madrid in 2006, is also going strong in the men’s doubles with Anthony Clark, who won silver in mixed and men’s doubles in Madrid four years ago.

While Ouseph was toiling through his first game Clark and Robertson were quickly disposing of Vitaliy Konov and Dymytro Zavadsky of Ukraine 21-11 21-9.

Their third-round match might not be as straightforward as they take on 2006 and 2009 world champions Fu Haifeng and Cai Yun of China tomorrow.