Ludwig and Walkenhorst, who arrived in the Latvian city having won the gold medal at the World Championships in Vienna, were in fine form on the final day of pool stage action.

The Germans, who are also the reigning Olympic champions, surged to the summit of Pool G with two hard fought victories.

They first overcame Alexandra Jupiter and Ophelie Lusson of France 21-18, 21-18 before they beat Anniina Parkkinen and Taru Lahti-Liukkonen of Finland 23-21,19-21,15-12 in a match that lasted nine minutes shy of an hour.

Defending men's champions Paolo Nicolai and Daniele Lupo of Italy also topped their pool.

The Italian pair, the second seeds in the men's tournament, ensured they preserved their 100 per cent record in Pool B with a 21-15, 21-19 victory over Poland's Mariusz Prudel and Kacper Kujawiak.

The Polish duo were still able to finish second in the four-team group despite the defeat and they will play in the elimination round.

Nicolai and Lupo will progress straight through to the quarter-finals by virtue of sealing top spot in their pool.

The Russian pairing of Viacheslav Krasilnikov and Nikita Liamin, who claimed a surprise bronze medal at the recent World Championships in Vienna, also secured their berth in the last eight as they qualified in first place in Pool C.

Krasilnikov and Liamin swept aside Julius Thole and Lorenz Schümann 21-13, 21-18 today to claim a quarter-final place.

They were joined by Latvia's Aleksandrs Samoilovs and Janis Smedins, who beat Switzerland’s Nico Beeler and Marco Krattiger 21-18, 21-13 to top Pool D to the delight of the home crowd.