The Olympic champions moved to the top of the Group E standings on the opening day of pool stage play with a straight sets win at Peškera Bay in Croatia.

They eased past the German pairing of Jonathan Erdmann and Armin Dollinger 21-19, 21-16.

Italy's Paolo Nicolai and Daniele Lupo join them at the top after they overcame Chilean cousins Marco and Esteban Grimalt 21-13, 15-21, 17-15.

Last year's runners up Clemens Doppler and Alexander Horst of Austria also won in straight sets today.

They beat Russia's Oleg Stoyanovskiy and Artem Yarzutkin 21-19, 21-17.

Croatian footballer Ivan Perišić will have to wait until tomorrow to make his debut on home sand.

The Inter Milan winger and his professional playing partner Niksa Dell'Orco have been handed a wildcard to play in the resort town.

They were due to get their campaign started today but a rain delay earlier this afternoon saw their match postponed until tomorrow.

In the women's competition, second seeds Laura Ludwig and Margareta Kozuch of Germany were beaten by compatriots Isabel Schneider and Victoria Bieneck.

Ludwig won a gold medal at Rio 2016 alongside Kira Walkenhorst but it appears she has not quite gelled with her new partner as they were beaten 14-21, 21-16, 16-18.

Rio 2016 silver medallist Bárbara Seixas de Freitas of Brazil won her opening match alongside partner Fernanda Alves.

The South Americans saw off Italian pair Marta Menegatti and Rebecca Diane Perry 21-14, 21-11.

Action at Peškera Bay continues tomorrow with further pool stage action.