The world number 14 was one game away from losing before clawing his way back to defeat Jang Woo-jin of South Korea 12-10, 8-11, 13-15, 11-8, 11-6.

Pitchford will next face Wang Chuqin of China who saw off Lin Yun-ju of Taiwan 11-5, 11-8, 11-7

World number one Fan Zhendong of China is safely through to the last eight after downing Patrick Franziska of Germany 14-12, 11-7, 11-9.

The all-South Korean battle was won by Jeoung Young-sik who overcame Lee Sang-su 11-3, 5-11, 11-6, 11-5 to secure a clash with Fan.

Women's top seed Chen Meng of China dropped a game but managed to find a way through to the quarter-finals, winning 11-8, 9-11, 11-5, 12-10 against Japan’s Kasumi Ishikawa.

Chen will next face home favourite Feng Tianwei, who beat Jeon Ji-hee of South Korea 11-6, 11-8, 8-11, 11-5.

China’s Wang Yidi defeated Adriana Diaz of Puerto Rico 13-11, 11-3, 5-11, 11-9 to set up a quarter-final meeting with Japan’s Hitomi Sato who recovered from a game down to beat Austria’s Sofia Polcanova 11-13, 12-10, 13-11, 11-9.

In the bottom half of the draw, Chen Xingtong of China cruised to a straight-game victory, triumphing 11-6, 11-6, 11-8 against Japan’s Miu Hirano.

She will face the winner of the last-16 tussle between Germany’s Petrissa Solja and Sun Yingsha of China.

Competition is due to continue tomorrow with the quarter-finals.