Women’s top seed Akane Yamaguchi progressed to the singles quarter-finals at the Badminton World Federation New Zealand Open.
The Japanese player was hoping to avoid a shock defeat, following second seed Saina Nehwal’s shock elimination yesterday.
Yamaguchi had no such issues at the Super 300 tournament in Auckland’s Eventfinda Stadium.
She overcame China’s Wei Yaxin 21-11, 21-13 in her second-round match.
Yamaguchi will now face Gregoria Mariska Tunjung of Indonesia, who beat China’s Li Yun 21-14, 22-20.
Japan’s Sayaka Takanashi also advanced to the quarter-finals, following a 21-11, 21-13 win over South Korea’s Kim Hyo-min.
Li Xuerui of China will provide Takanashi’s next challenge, after the Chinese player won 21-16, 21-13 against Indonesia’s Ruselli Hartawan.
In the men’s singles, third seed Jonatan Christie avoided an upset.
The Indonesian star battled to a 21-14, 14-21, 21-16 win over Chinese Taipei’s Wang Tzu-wei.
He faces Chinese qualifier Sun Feixiang, who battled back from a game down to beat South Korea’s Hoe Kwang-hee.
Japan’s Kanta Tsuneyama was a 21-14, 25-23 winner against Thailand’s Sitthikom Thammasin in his match.
Tsuneyama will face either India’s Kumar Prannoy or Indonesia’s second seed Tommy Sugiarto in the quarter-finals.
