It was one of two surprises on the third day of play at the SK Handball Stadium as men's doubles top seeds Takeshi Kamura and Keigo Sonoda of Japan - silver medallists at the World Championships - fell to home pair Lee Yong Dae and Kim Gi Jung, who won 18-21, 21-10, 21-9.

Axelson, last year's world champion, began badly as he went 18-12 down in the first game, but then restored the score to 18-18 and earned four game points.

But that was his high point as his Chinese opponent took the game and ran through the second with increasing ease to earn a 27-25, 21-9 scoreline and a meeting in tomorrow's quarter-finals with last year's runner-up, Jonatan Christie of Indonesia.

"I can't consider it a big upset because Axelsen made a lot of mistakes in the second game," said Zhao.

"I just stayed calm.

"I’d lost twice to him and I learnt from that.

"I haven’t done well in the top tournaments over the last two years as I was under pressure.

"Hopefully I will get better from now."

Christie easily defeated Hong Kong’s Hu Yun 21-12, 21-14.

Korean qualifier Heo Kwang Hee - who held off senior compatriot Son Wan Ho 15-21, 21-13, 24-22 – will meet Tommy Sugiarto of Indonesia, who beat Liew Daren of the Malaysia 21-15, 21-16.

On the other side of the draw, Japan's world and Asian champion Kento Momota will face compatriot Kenta Nishimoto, and Indonesia's Anthony Ginting - who defeated Momota in last week's China Open final - meets Chou Tien-chen of Chinese Taipei.

The women’s singles top seed Akane Yamaguchi of Japan avoided Axelsen’s fate as she stayed stubborn in the face of a difficult challenge from China's Chen Xiaoxin to emerge triumphant, 24-26, 21-19, 21-17.

She now faces another Chinese player, Gao Fangjie, in the quarter-finals.

Sixth seed Beiwen Zhang of the United States also had a tough struggle against another young Chinese, Cai Yanyan, before winning 15-21, 22-20, 23-21, letting out a long sigh of relief as she did so.

Zhang now takes on Scotland's Kirsty Gilmour, who beat Thailand's Ratchanok Intanon for the first time in four matches, 21-18, 21-17.

"The hall came into play a bit, it's a bit windy in there and that means it's anyone's game," said Gilmour.

"The person who can control it a tiny bit better will take it.

"I think the trick was not to think about it too much, just try to play as free as possible.

"'I’ve played Beiwen a few times, most recently the Indian League.

"It's going to be interesting tomorrow, she’s very skillful."

The two other quarter-finals will feature Japan's Nozomi Okuhara against India's Saina Nehwal, and another Japanese player, Sayaka Takahashi against home player Sung Ji-hyun.