The Chinese star faced her compatriot Liu Shiwen in an absorbing contest at the Ali Bin Hamad Al Attiyah Arena in Doha.

Zhu had beaten her rival in the final of the ITTF Women's World Cup in Canada six months ago in a seven game contest, but she was unable to repeat the feat in the ITTF Platinum World Tour event today.

Liu was able to claim a 12-14, 11-5, 11-4, 8-11, 11-5, 11-5 win to progress to the next round.

"I had to play two matches to qualify so I was used to the atmosphere, accustomed to the arena, for Zhu Yuling, it was much different, it was her first match," said Liu.

"I think she found it hard to adapt to the rhythm of the match.

"Both of us kept making changes; after the fourth game when we were level, the direction of my play, my placement of the ball was better."

Liu will face another compatriot in the last 16, as Chen Xingtong claimed an 8-11, 11-4, 11-7, 13-11, 11-4 win in an all Chinese clash with Zhang Rui.

Chen Meng enjoyed a straightforward start on the other half of the draw, as the Chinese player won 6-11, 11-6, 11-8, 11-5, 11-2 against Mongolia's Yang Ziaoxin.

Chen will now face Ding Ning, after the Chinese player won 11-6, 11-5, 4-11, 11-4, 11-4 against South Korea's Suh Hyowon.

Japan's Mima Ito was among the seeded players to suffer defeat, as she lost narrowly to China’s Wang Yidi, who prevailed 11-7, 4-11, 8-11, 11-7, 11-4, 9-11, 11-4.

In the men's draw, China's Fan Zhendong came through his first test in impressive fashion by beating Japan's Maharu Yoshimura 11-9, 5-11, 11-3, 11-1, 13-11.

Fan faces further Japanese opposition in the next round, after Jun Mizutani triumphed 5-11, 11-7, 11-7, 7-11, 13-11, 11-5 against Germany’s Patrick Franziska.

Timo Boll, the new world number one, began his campaign with a match against Chinese Taipei’s Lin Yun-Ju later today.

The German lost the opening game, but came back to triumph 12-14, 11-5, 11-6, 11-3, 11-5.