The 20-year-old, who won last month’s ITTF World Tour Swedish Open as a qualifier, begun her campaign in Kazakhstan’s capital with a fine 11-2, 11-6, 12-10, 5-11, 12-10 win over Germany’s Shan Xiaona.

She joins fellow countrywomen Chen Meng and Gu Yuting in the last eight after they both claimed victories today at the "Daulet" Sports Complex.

Top seed Chen beat Hong Kong’s Doo Hoi Kem 11-5, 11-8, 11-6, 8-11, 9-11, 11-8, while Gu defeated Japan’s Miu Hirano 11-5, 11-6, 10-12, 11-8, 9-11, 12-14, 11-9.

Awaiting Chen in the quarter-finals is Singapore’s Feng Tianwei, who put on a classy display to overcome Chinese Taipei’s Cheng I-Ching 11-9, 7-11, 17-15, 11-5, 11-8.

There was also considerable success for China in the men’s singles draw as Lin Gaoyuan, Xu Xin and Fan Zhendong all booked their places in the next stage of the competition.

Lin enjoyed a swift victory in his opening match of the tournament, claiming a straight-games 11-4, 11-1, 11-6, 11-7 triumph over Japan’s Masaki Yoshida.

Xu had little difficulty in prevailing 11-6, 11-8, 11-9, 11-8 over Japan’s Kenta Matsudaira, while Fan required six games to overcome a brave challenge from Chinese Taipei’s Chuang Chih-Yuan and come out a 17-15, 8-11, 12-10, 8-11, 11-5, 11-6 victor. 

Germany’s Timo Boll, meanwhile, came from behind to oust Japan’s Yuya Oshima with an 11-6, 8-11, 3-11, 12-10, 11-8, 11-6 win.

Action in Astana is due to continue tomorrow.