KUALA LUMPUR: Unseeded Chen Yu Jie is among eight Malaysians who won their opening round matches in the Asian Qualifier for the World Championships on Thursday.
The 19-year-old, who is ranked 196th in the world, upset No. 119 and eighth seed Min Gyeong Heo of South Korea 7-11, 11-7, 5-11, 11-5, 13-11 in 37 minutes at the NSC Courts.
Yu Jie will face world No. 69 and top seed Cheng Nga Ching of Hong Kong, who defeated Malaysia's Goh Zhi Xuan 8-11, 11-5, 11-6, 6-11, 11-6, in the quarter-finals.
Yu Jie, who trains under coaches Kwan Karsern and Addeen Idrakie, said this was the first time she played the Korean, and she achieved her biggest win.
Unseeded K. Sehveetrraa upset
sixth seed Erisa Sano Herring of Japan 11-7, 12-10, 11-4 and will face second seed Akanksha Salunkhe of India next. Akanksha beat Malaysia's U. Thanusaa 11-7, 8-11, 11-3, 7-11, 11-5.
Malaysia's fourth seed Chen Yiwen beat Akari Midorikawa of Japan 11-6, 3-11, 11-1, 11-5 and will face fifth seed Ching Hei Fung of Hong Kong next.
In the men's competition, five Malaysians made it to the quarter-finals.
Ong Sai Hung upset fourth seed Matthew Lai of Hong Kong 9-11, 11-8, 7-11, 11-5, 11-7 while Bryan Lim upset fifth seed Wong Chi Him of Hong Kong 4-11, 11-6, 11-7, 12-10. Syafiq Kamal beat compatriot Hafiz Zhafri 11-7, 11-3, 6-11, 11-5 and will meet third seed Tang Ming Hong next.
Seventh seed Darren Pragasam defeated Ammar Altamimi of Kuwait
11-9, 7-11, 11-2, 11-1 for a last eight clash with compatriot and second seed Addeen Idrakie. Addeen beat Hong Kong's Leo Chung 11-3, 11-8, 11-2.