Although their opponents Teng Chun Hsun-Yang Chu Yun are ranked 34 rungs below the Malaysians who are world No 22, the Hong Kong duo fought hard before Pei Kee-Mei Xing won 9-21, 23-21, 24-22 in a match that lasted an hour.

After losing the first game and winning the second narrowly, Pei Kee-Mei Xing were down 18-20 in the decider before sheer determination saw them winning in deuce.

This was the first encounter between the two pairs.

Pei Kee-Mei Xing will take on either Catherine Choi-Crystal Lai from Canada or Turkish pair Bengisu Ercetin-Nazlican Inci in the quarter-finals tomorrow.

Malaysia’s top women’s doubles shuttlers Pearly Tan-M Thinaah skipped the tournament after a hectic schedule over the last three months.

However, they are in pole position in the qualifying list for the lucrative season-ending World Tour Finals to be played in Hangzhou, China, in December.