Olympic champion Li Xuerui is safely through to the semi-finals ©Getty Images

Women’s singles top seed Li Xuerui’s continued her pursuit of glory on home soil as she comfortably progressed to the semi-finals of the Badminton World Federation (BWF) China Masters with a dominant victory over compatriot He Biingjiao in Changzhou.

The London 2012 gold medallist, who survived a scare in her round of 16 contest against Japan's Ayumi Mine, was in ruthless form and took just half-an-hour to dispatch the number six seed, emerging victorious 21-11, 21-6.

The Chinese star will next face Thailand’s Porntip Buranaprasertsuk, who caused one of the shock results of the day, dumping  Pursala V Sindu of India out of the competition, which is a BWF Grand Prix Gold event. 

Although her win was in straight games, Buranapraserstuk was made to work hard for her place in the last four as she edged a closely-fought encounter with the fourth seed 21-17, 21-19.

China’s Sun Yu, seeded fifth, was also able to book her spot in the next round by beating Busanan Ombumrungphan of Thailand 21-10, 21-17.

In the men’s competition, top seed Chen Long remains in course for a showdown with team-mate and number two seed Lin Dan as both players won their respective quarter-final clashes today.

Chen, the reigning world champion, overcame India’s H.S Prannoy in swift fashion, clinching a semi-final berth with a 21-10, 21-15 triumph to set up a meeting with Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk of Thailand.

Two-time Olympic champion Lin Dan of China is also in the semi-finals of the event on home soil
Two-time Olympic champion Lin Dan of China is also in the semi-finals of the event on home soil ©Getty Images

Lin’s passage to the next round was far from straightforward as he was involved in a three-game epic with fellow Chinese competitor Guangzu Lu.

The two-time Olympic gold medallist and five-time world champion moved to within one of victory by taking the opener before Guangzu hit back and levelled proceedings by securing the second to send the tie to a decider.

Having dropped the second game, the momentum appeared to be with the unseeded player but Lin quickly banished the disappointment to seal the third to wrap up a 21-14, 17-21, 21-12 win.

China’s Lin Guipu is his opponent in the next round after he defeated Japan's Kazumasa Sakai 21-10, 21-18.

The home nation also had success to cheer in the men’s doubles when Huang Kaixiang and Zheng Siwei proved too strong for Ko Sung-hyun and Shin Baek-cheol of South Korea, who are seeded fourth, to win their quarter-final 21-15, 21-19.

Action in Changzhou is due to continue tomorrow.