Chinese Taipei's Tai, who lost her world number one ranking in July, made an ideal start at St. Jakobshalle by winning the opening game 21-12.

Olympic silver medallist Sindhu produced a spirited performance in the second game, with neither player able to pull clear.

Sindhu eventually won 23-21 to force the match into a decider.

The Indian star completed the comeback by edging the third game 21-19 to book her place in the last four.

Defeat continued Tai's rotten record in World Championship quarter-finals, having lost all five she has played.

Her chance of World Championship success may now have ended, with the 25-year-old having announced earlier this year that she intends to retire from the sport after next year's Olympic Games in Tokyo.

Sindhu, who was runner-up to Tai at the Asian Games, will hope to secure a third consecutive World Championship final appearance.

She has finished runner-up at the last two World Championships, adding to her Olympic and Commonwealth Games silver medals.

The 24-year-old will face fourth seed Chen Yu Fei of China, who beat Denmark's Mia Blichfeldt 21-17, 18-21, 21-15.

Third seed Nozomi Okuhara progressed to the semi-finals in impressive fashion, with the Japanese player defeating China's He Bing Jiao 21-7, 21-18.

She will now play  Thailand's Ratchanok Intanon, who overcame Singapore's Yeo Jia Min 21-17, 21-11.

Men's singles top seed Kento Momota was a comfortable winner in his quarter-final.

The Japanese player secured a 21-12, 21-8 win over Malaysia's Lee Zii Jia.

He now faces India's B. Sai Praneeth, who was a 24-22, 21-14 victor over Indonesia's Jonatan Christie.

Olympic champion Chen Long of China suffered a surprise defeat to Denmark's Anders Antonsen in their quarter-final match.

Antonsen triumphed 22-20, 21-10.

The Danish player will now face Thailand's Kantaphon Wangcharoen, who beat Chinese Taipei's Chou Tien-Chen 21-16, 11-21, 21-14.