Ding, seeded three, reached the finals of the women's event with victory over Japan's Mima Ito in this ITTF World Tour Platinum event at Geelong Arena.

The triple Olympic gold medallist was probably stretched more than she expected against the seventh seed before coming out on top 11-3, 8-11, 11-4, 8-11, 9-11, 11-7, 11-8.

In the final tomorrow she is set to meet team-mate Sun Yingsha, who had started the tournament by having to qualify.

She continued her impressive run with a 11-3, 11-7, 12-10, 12-10 win over Japan's number six seed Kasumi Ishikawa.

The men played their quarter-finals today. 

On paper, Ma at number five was ranked lower in this tournament than team-mate Lin Gaoyuan, seeded two.

That, though, showed to mean nothing as Ma, like Ding a three-time Olympic gold medallist, beat Lin 1-6, 11-7, 11-6, 11-6.

Ma, seeking a record-stretching 30th ITTF World Tour title, will be joined in tomorrow's last four by three other Chinese players.

China’s Xu Xin, the number three seed, resisted a spirited recovery by Brazil’s Hugo Calderano, ranked seventh to win 11-7, 12-10, 11-5, 8-11, 7-11, 11-9.

A less well-known Chinese name also made it through as teenage qualifier Wang Chuqin beat team-mate and number six seed Liang Jiangkun.

The 19-year-old won 11-8, 12-10, 11-6, 7-11, 12-10.

Aiming to stop the Chinese juggernaut will be Germany's Patrick Franziska, the number 15 seed who had knocked-out the top-ranked Fan Zhendong yesterday. 

He continued to surprise as he beat Sweden's Mattias Falck, seeded eighth, 11-6, 10-12, 9-11, 8-11, 12-10, 11-8, 11-9. 

There was disappointment for Long in the men's doubles as he partnered the man he had beaten in the singles - Lin - to take on South Korea's Jeoung Youngsik and Lee Sangu in the final.

Ma and Lin were making their debut as a partnership, while Jeoung and Lee were ranked number one in this tournament.

The Koreans, the runners-up in last weekend's ITTF World Tour Platinum event in Busan, came out on top 11-6, 11-8, 11-6.

It was their sixth ITTF World Tour title in 12 final appearances.

The women's doubles final pitted the top two seeds against each other.

China's Chen Meng and Wang Manyu justified their top ranking with a 11-6, 11-3, 8-11, 11-6 over South Korea's second-seeded Jeon Jihee and Yang Haeun for their second consecutive victory following success in Busan.

This was the 18th occasion Jeon and Yang had appeared in the final of an ITTF World Tour final and their 11th defeat.

Hong Kong's Wong Chun Ting and Do Hoi Kem, the number two seeds, also repeated their victory in the mixed doubles from last week in Busan.

Ranked number two seeds in Geelong, they beat Japan's Jun Mizutani and ito 5-11, 13-11, 11-8, 11-9.