Women’s singles top seed Saina Nehwal suffered elimination from the BWF Macau Open after suffering a shock straight-games defeat to China’s Zhang Yiman ©Getty Images

Women’s singles top seed Saina Nehwal suffered elimination from the Badminton World Federation (BWF) Macau Open after suffering a shock straight-games defeat to China’s Zhang Yiman at the Tap Seac Multisport Pavilion.

The Indian, an Olympic bronze medallist at London 2012, fell to a 12-21, 17-21 defeat against her unseeded opponent who is now through to the semi-finals.

Awaiting Zhang in the last four is compatriot Chen Yufei after she beat Malaysia’s Jin Wei Goh 21-14, 21-10.

There were also surprising losses today for the top seeds in the men’s doubles and mixed doubles quarter-finals. 

Chinese Taipei’s Chen Hung Ling and Chi-Lin Wang were beaten 22-20, 15-21, 19-21 by fifth seeds Zhang Nan and Lu Kai of China in the men’s doubles.

Chinese Taipei's Chou Tien Chen remains on course to claim the men's singles title ©Getty Images
Chinese Taipei's Chou Tien Chen remains on course to claim the men's singles title ©Getty Images

Zhang Nan also helped eliminate leading mixed doubles pairing, Malaysia’s Peng Soon Chan and Liu Ying Goh, as he partnered Li Yinhui to a 21-12, 20-22, 21-15 success.

There were no such problems for the men’s singles top seed, Chinese Taipei’s Chou Tien Chen, who cruised to a 21-11, 21-12 win over Indonesia’s Muhammad Bayu Pangisthu.

Standing between him and a place in the final on Sunday (December 4) is China’s Huang Yuxiang, a 21-10, 13-21, 21-16 winner at the expense of Chinese Taipei’s Lin Yu Hsien.

China’s Chen Qingchen and Jia Yifan, the top-ranked pairing in the women’s doubles, are also through to the penultimate round thanks to a 21-5, 21-11 victory over Indonesia’s Weni Anggraini and Aprilsasi Putri Lejarsar Variella.

The BWF Macau Open, a Grand Prix Gold level tournament, is due to continue tomorrow.