Defending singles champions Chen Long of China and Carolina Marin of Denmark advanced to the quarterfinals at the badminton world championships on Thursday.
The top-seeded Long defeated Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk of Thailand 21-17, 21-18 and will next face seventh-seeded Viktor Axelsen of Denmark, who eliminated 11th-seeded Prannoy Haseena Kumar of India 21-16, 19-21, 21-18.
In the women's singles, Marin, who fell and hurt her ankle in the first set needed 74 minutes to get the better of the unheralded Pai Yu Po of Taiwan, eventually winning 21-11, 18-21, 21-17.
"I was a little bit scared when I fell down, but then I just tried not to think about my ankle." she said. "I was so scared because maybe I could not play but I tried to keep my focus on what I have to do."
"I could win, that was my bad game," added Marin, who described the Po as a difficult opponent because she never met her earlier.
The Spaniard said she would be treated by her physiotherapist before the Friday's quarterfinals match.
Marin will play against seventh-seeded Wang Shixian of China who overpowered Thai's 15th-seeded Busanan Ongbumrungpan 24-22, 21-11.
In other men's single matches, five-time champion Lin Dan outclassed 14th-seeded Hans-Kristian Vittinghus of Denmark 21-9, 21-13 while his Malaysian arch rival Lee Chong Wei disposed of Dan's compatriot, eighth-seeded Wang Zhengming 21-17, 21-19.
The victories put Dan and Lee closer to a semifinal encounter. Dan has so far won 24 of their 33 meetings.
The fifth-seeded Dan will face another Danish player, second-seeded Jan O. Jorgensen who disposed of ninth-seeded Son Wan Ho of South Korea 21-19, 21-11.
Lee will face 13rd-seeded Hu Yun of Hong Kong, who came from behind to upset third-seeded Srikanth Kidambo 14-21, 21-17, 23-21.
Fourth-seeded Kento Momota also advanced to the quarterfinals after he defeated Vietnamese Nguyen Tien Minh 21-15, 21-16. He will take on Wei Nan of Hong Kong who eliminated Malaysian Zulfadli Zulkiffli 21-15, 21-9.
Also advancing in the women's singles were Pusarla Venkata Sindhu of India who eliminated China's Olympic champion and third-seeded Li Xuerui 21-17, 14-21, 21-17, while second-seeded Saina Nehwal beat 14th-seeded Sayaka Takahashi of Japan.
This content appears as provided to The Globe by the originating wire service. It has not been edited by Globe staff.