China's Lin Dan in action against Rajiv Ouseph of England during their Thomas Cup group match in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, yesterday. Lin won 2-0 as the host began with a 5-0 triumph in the team event.

Superstar Lin Dan was made to sweat in front of an adoring home crowd but China breezed through its first group ties in the Thomas and Uber Cups world team championships in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, yesterday.

Quality was on show from Denmark, Japan and South Korea, but it was England's Rajiv Ouseph who threatened to spring a major surprise, before "Super" Dan, badminton's most-decorated player, came through in two games.

World No. 19 Ouseph pushed the reigning Olympic champion in an unexpectedly tight match, as the usually cool Lin let off sparks of surprise and frustration when a handful of smashes went into the net and wide.

"After starting well I broke my racket string and it took me too long to adjust to the new racket. It affected the attack game plan," Lin said, praising Ouseph's performance.

"All the matches here are equally important before the Olympics," Lin added, underscoring the significance of this week in Wuhan, as players have a dress rehearsal before meeting each other on the big stage in July in London.

Lin's teammates, including world No. 3 Chen Long, had an easier time as they beat the plucky English 5-0 and turned their attentions to Indonesia, their next group rival.

"Indonesia is China's biggest opponent in the Thomas Cup," Lin said.

"It doesn't matter who I play. I take them all seriously," he said about Indonesia's choice to select Simon Santoso over Olympic gold medalist Taufik Hidayat as the first singles player.

Playing on the court next to China was Japan, which trounced New Zealand 5-0 and looked every bit a legitimate frontrunner in the men's competition.

In the day's earlier session, Denmark and South Korea also looked impressive contenders for a tournament neither country has won - the Danes seeing off South Africa and the Koreans beating the United States by identical 5-0 margins.

In the women's competition, the Uber Cup, China is also seeded first and the team demolished South Africa 5-0. In world No. 1 Wang Yihan's opening match her opponent Kerry-Lee Harrington managed just three points.

The Chinese women's squad is led by the three Wangs - Yihan, Xin and Shixian - who occupy the top three spots in the world rankings. But in a sign of her stunning recent form, world No. 4 Li Xuerui has been picked to play the third singles, with Wang Shixian playing doubles.

The Chinese women are aiming to lift the Uber Cup for a seventh time, and erase the memory of their shock defeat in the 2010 final in Kuala Lumpur by South Korea.