World number one Wang Yihan bows out

World number one and tournament favourite Wang Yihan of China made a shock exit in the third round of the women's singles at the badminton world  championships on Thursday.

In a marathon, 75-minute tussle she was ousted by 10th seed Eriko Hirose of Japan 20-22 21-16 21-18.

Top-seeded Wang managed to save one match point but Hirose, looking the fresher, was not be denied.

The delighted winner told reporters: "It's the first time I've beaten her and the biggest win of my career."

Her quarter-final opponent is another of the Chinese battalion, seventh-seed Wang Lin who beat Hong Kong's 12th seed Pui Yin Yip 21-13 21-17 in their third-round match.

Denmark's Tine Baun, twice an All England winner as Tine Rasmussen, booked her quarter-final slot with a tough 21-19 23-21 over Petya Nedelcheva.

Baun, seeded four, has been struggling with injury and had to raise her game when trailing 17-12 in the second set.

"I got annoyed," the 31-year-old conceded. "I was thinking sometimes you have to let it out. I needed to re-focus in my head."

Indian second seed Saina Nehwal eased into the last eight with a 21-14 21-18 success over Russia's Ella Diehl.

Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.