The world number five slogged for 81 minutes before beating Liu Yu Chen-Ou Xuan Yi of China 21-18, 19-21, 21-18 in the quarter-finals at Binjiang Gymnasium here.

Aaron-Wooi Yik, the 2020 Tokyo Olympics bronze medallists, will now meet India’s world number three Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty, who thrashed Singapore’s Nge Joo Jie-Johann Prajogo 21-7, 21-9 in another quarter-final match.

“We are quite happy with our focus on court although in the second game we led 19-17 but lost. In the rubber game, our play and momentum were good. For tomorrow, we will discuss the game plan with our coaches and prepare for it,” Aaron said.

Wooi Yik said today’s victory assured the country of at least a bronze medal and this would ease the pressure on them.

At the last edition in Jakarta-Palembang, Indonesia, the national badminton squad returned empty-handed after none of the shuttlers cleared the quarter-final stage.

Earlier, top national women’s doubles pair Pearly Tan-M Thinaah lost 21-15, 11-21, 7-21 to world number two Baek Ha Na-Lee So Hee of South Korea.

Men’s singles player Ng Tze Yong also crashed out of the quarter-finals, losing 20-22, 15-21 to world number three Kodai Naraoka of Japan.

Kodai will next meet China’s Shi Yu Qi, who ousted Chou Tien Chen of Taiwan 21-18, 21-12.

National singles ace Lee Zii Jia went down fighting to HS Prannoy of India 16-21, 23-21, 20-22, while mixed doubles pair Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei lost 14-21, 21-23 to defending champions Zheng Siwei-Huang Yaqiong of China.