The tournament's top seed, Chen claimed a 9-11, 11-7, 11-4, 8-11, 11-5, 11-5 win over Miyu Maeda of Japan at the Tips Arena in Linz.

Victorious already this year in both Qatar and Australia, in addition to finishing as runner-up in Japan, Chen is aiming for a third title of the campaign.

Japan's Kasumi Ishikawa, winner of the ITTF Bulgaria Open earlier this season, was eliminated.

She was comfortably beaten by China's Wang Yidi 11-9, 12-10, 9-11, 11-9, 11-8.

Seven of the top eight seeds in the women's draw represent China or Japan.

The number eight seed was Chinese-born Liu Jia, representing Austria, but she was thrashed on home soil this evening.

Japan's Kyoka Kato silenced the home crowd by claiming a straight sets 11-9, 13-11, 11-6, 11-9 win.

Ni Xia Lian of Luxembourg made history today after winning the longest table tennis match in modern history that lasted 1 hour, 32 mins and 44sec.

The two-time European Champion upset world number 13 Honoka Hashimoto of Japan 9-11, 5-11, 11-6, 11-6, 5-11, 16-14, 18-16.

The marathon match overtook the epic between Li Jie of China and Japan's Hitomi Sato at this year’s Qatar Open, which lasted just under 1 hour and 30mins.

In the men's draw, defending champion Kenta Matsudaira of Japan required seven sets to progress to the round of 16,

Seeded sixth this time around, Matsudaira eventually got the better of Denmark's Jonathan Groth 10-12, 11-6, 11-5, 7-11, 11-6, 8-11, 16-14 in a thrilling match.

Wong Chun Ting of Hong Kong crashed out in what proved to be the biggest upset of the day.

The world number seven was comfortably beaten by Omar Assar of Egypt 11-9, 5-11, 11-7, 11-9, 12-10.

China's Fang Bo, victorious at this tournament in 2013 and the number three seed this year, is safely through to the next round.

He overcame Andrej Gacina of Croatia 9-11, 12-10, 9-11, 11-8, 11-8, 9-11, 11-4.