After the former world number 13 had accounted for 16th seed Li Jiao of The Netherlands, gold medallist at the inaugural European Games in Baku last year, with a marathon 4-11, 11-13, 11-9, 11-7, 11-8, 11-9, 11-5 win, she then proved too strong for Singapore’s Feng Tianwei.

The London 2012 Olympic bronze medallist, seeded third for the tournament, was unable to reach her usual level and Lee capitalised, progressing to the last eight with a 11-5, 7-11, 11-6, 8-11, 5-11, 11-5, 11-9 triumph.

It proved to be a rare shock on a day where the majority of the top players justified their respective rankings, with Japanese top seed Ai Fukuhara comfortably dispatching Germany's Shan Xiaona 11-7 ,8-11, 12-10 ,11-4, 11-8.

Fukhara’s teammate Mama Ito, seeded sixth, maintained her pursuit of a successful title defence as she secured her quarter-final berth after squeezing through an epic contest with Germany’s Petrissa Solja.

Ito was in serious danger of relinquishing her grip on her Berlin open crown as she lost the first two games before launching a stunning comeback, eventually claiming a hard-fought 5-11, 7-11, 11-7, 11-5, 7-11, 12-10, 11-1 win.

In the men's singles event, China's Ma Long, the current world number one, made light work of Denmark's Jonathan Groth as he reached the last 16 with a trouble-free 11-2, 11-6, 11-7, 11-3 victory.

Long's team-mate Zhang Jike, the reigning Olympic champion, dropped one game but was still able to get the better of Greece's Panagiotis Gionis as he moved into the next phase with a 11-13, 11-7, 11-8, 11-8, 11-4 success.

Home hope Timo Boll, who has been nursing a knee injury, is also through as he beat Frane Kojic of Croatia 11-1, 11-4, 11-6, 11-4,.

Belarus' six-time European champion Vladimir Samsonov was made to work hard for his 11-7, 9-11, 11-8, 4-11, 11-8, 11-7 success against Tiago Apolonia of Portugal.

In the women's doubles, South Korean duo Jeon Jihee and Yang Ha-eun raced to a straight games win over Shan Xiona and Solja of Germany, 11-9, 11-9, 11-4.

Hong Kong's Jiang Huajun and Tie Yana overcame Hu Melek and Merve Menge of Turkey 8-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-7.

There was more success for Hong Kong in the men's doubles as Ho Kwan Kit and Tan Peng beat Jang Woo-jin and Jang Sang-eun 11-8, 11-9, 12-10.