BEIJING, Nov 12: China's top women's seeds suffered shock defeats at the China Open badminton competition on Friday as world number one Lin Dan and Olympic champion Taufik Hidayat marched on in the men's singles.

Fifth-seeded Xie Xingfang was the only Chinese player left in the women's singles after beating compatriot Zhang Ning, the top seed, while world number two Gong Ruina and Zhou Mi also went out to lower-ranked opposition.

China's women's singles coach Tang Xuehua said she was not surprised by the results, with Gong falling to Wang Chen of Hong Kong and third-seeded Zhou Mi beaten by Tine Rasmussen of Denmark.

In the men's competition Chinese teenager Gong Weijie, who stunned world number two Peter Gade in the last 16, failed to repeat his heroics as he was forced out 15-7, 17-15 by Indonesian star Taufik.

Lin stopped sixth-seeded Chel Hong 15-8, 15-6 while Bao Chunlai, seeded fifth, saw off Chen Jin 15-7, 17-15 in the two all-Chinese quarterfinals. Danish veteran Kenneth Jonassen made short work of China's Li Yu 15-0, 15-10.

Meanwhile China's women's doubles pairings made up for the disappointment in the singles competition as they guaranteed a home victory by sweeping all four semifinal places.

World number one pairing Yang Wei and Zhang Jiewen led the charge, beating Lee Kyung-Won and Lee Hyo-Jong of South Korea 15-5, 15-9 as the Chinese women wrapped up all four quarterfinals in straight sets.

Top seeds Jens Eriksen and Martin Lundgaard Hansen of Denmark stayed on course in the men's doubles with a 15-7, 15-9 victory over Malaysia's Koo Kien-Keat and Chan Chong-Ming. -AFP