The 10-time English champion, who helped England win promotion to the Sudirman Cup's First Division in last week's World Mixed Team Championships, lost to South Korean Shon Seung-mo 15-7 15-7, beaten as much by a mystery infection as the skills of his opponent.

Hall, 33, who began the season by winning a Commonwealth bronze medal, was forced to qualify for the individual event here after a groin strain kept him out of the All England Championships in March and led to a slide in his ranking.

The alarm bells first rang yesterday when hall, who took his tally of England caps to 114 last week, struggled in his opening qualifying match before beating Kwok Wa-Lin of Hong Kong in three games.