World Champion Kento Momota and China's top-ranking player HE Bing Jiao came back from tough situations to win their respective matches in the BWF World Tour Super 750 French Open tournament.
Momota lost the first game against Denmark's Hans-Kristian Solberg Vittinghus and was trailing in the second game also. But after fighting through to force a deciding third game, sealed the match emphatically with the scoreline 17-21, 21-19, 21-4.
Bing Jiao also lost the first game of her round of 16 match against Indonesia's Fitriani Fitriani and actually faced a match point in the decider before saving it and winning the match 18-21, 21-10, 22-20.
The top seed in women's draw Tai Tzu Ying had less troubles as she put away South Korea's Kim Ga Eun 21-17, 21-17. Her compatriot and second-seed Chou Tien Chen in men's singles however was a major casualty as he got defeated by Vietnam's NG Ka Long Angus 23-25, 21-17, 21-16.
Another high-ranking casualty on day 4 of the tournament was Japan's former World Champion Nozomi Okuhara. In a tough draw for the round the 16, she had to lock horns with 3-time World Champion Carolina Marin of Spain. The latter had an easy 21-18, 21-17 win.
In the battle of two Chinese Olympic champions, Chen Long, the reigning champion, defeated the former Olympic gold medalist Lin Dan 21-15, 21-16.
Other important victors of the day included women's singles World Champion PV Sindhu, 2013 World Champion Ratchanok Intanon, former world no. 1 Saina Nehwal and the second seed Akane Yamaguchi. South Korea's teenage sensation AN Se Young also advanced after her opponent had to retire with an injury.
Among men, both the Danish contenders, Viktor Axelson and Anders Antonsen made it through to the last eight. The same was done by Indonesia's big guns, Anthony Sinisuka Ginting and Asian Games champion Jonatan Christie.
