MANILA: Top seed Akane Yamaguchi was given a scare by 317th-ranked qualifier Komang Ayu Cahya Dewi before battling into the quarter-finals of the Badminton Asia Championships on Thursday.

Men’s top seed Kento Momota was surprisingly dumped out in the first round on Wednesday and Yamaguchi looked in danger of going the same way as her fellow Japanese in Manila.

Indonesia’s Dewi grabbed the first game 23-21, but reigning champion Yamaguchi recovered to take the next two 21-9, 21-19 and seal the match in 46 minutes.

She plays Thailand’s sixth seed Pornpawee Chochuwong in the last eight.

Second seed An Seyoung enjoyed smoother passage with a 21-7, 21-19 defeat of China’s Zhang Yiman.

India’s fourth seed P.V. Sindhu is also through to the last eight, where she faces fifth seed He Bingjiao of China.

In the men’s draw in the Philippine capital, Singapore’s reigning world champion Loh Kean Yew, the sixth seed, demolished Japan’s Koki Watanabe 21-16, 21-6 to power into the quarter-finals.

He takes on Indonesia’s Jonatan Christie, the fourth seed.

Published in Dawn, April 29th, 2022