World Badminton Championships: Holders Carolina Marin, Chen Long reach last-8

Defending champion Carolina Marin of Spain eased into the World Badminton Championships quarters, while men’s title holder Chen Long also didn’t have to break much sweat on his way to the last-8

China’s Chen Long and Spain’s Carolina Marin, the men’s and women’s champions, progressed smoothly into the quarter-finals of the World Badminton Championships in Glasgow on Thursday.

Carolina Marin defeated Denmark’s Mia Blichfeldt 21-7 21-11 to reach the quarters of World Badminton Championships. (AFP)

Fifth-seeded Chen needed 41 minutes to quell the challenge of India’s 13th seed Ajay Jayaram 21-11 21-10, while the third-seeded Marin saw off Denmark’s Mia Blichfeldt 21-7 21-11.

Chen next takes on 10-seeded compatriot Tian Houwei, who got past France’s Brice Leverdez 21-14 21-8. Olympic champion Marin set up a clash with Japan’s seventh seed Nozomi Okuhara.

China’s Lin Dan ran into more trouble a day after he dug deep to beat Denmark’s Emil Holst. The seventh seed lost the first game but showed steely resolve to down England’s Rajiv Ouseph 14-21 21-17 21-16.

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Top seed Son Wan-ho survived a mid-match scare but was too powerful for Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk, winning 21-14 17-21 21-13. His opponent in the quarter-finals is India’s Kidambi Srikanth.

Denmark’s third seed Viktor Axelsen began proceedings at the Emirates arena in the morning with a clinical 21-17 21-13 win over Hong Kong’s Ng Ka-long in 38 minutes.

India’s Pusarla Sindhu advanced at the expense of Hong Kong’s Cheung Ngan-yi and faces China’s Sun Yu next. Sindhu’s compatriot Saina Nehwal beat second seed Sung Ji-hyun 21-19 21-15.