KUALA LUMPUR: Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin is Malaysia's sole representative in Fuzhou, after reaching the last eight stage of the China Open on Thursday.
Despite being made to slog in the second, the 25 year-old walked away with a 7-21, 21-6, 23-21 win over qualifier Guo Kai of China to reach his maiden Super Series quarter-finals.
Iskandar, who moved up a rung to No 33 on the world rankings, will take on another China shuttler, Qiao Bin, on Friday for a place in the semi-finals.
It was the end of the road though for two top Malaysian pairs who failed to get past the second round.
Mixed doubles shuttlers Chan Peng Soon (who is still struggling with injury) and Goh Liu Ying went down 21-17, 21-19 to China's Zhang Nan-Li Yinhui, while women's doubles Vivian Hoo Kah Mun-Woon Khe Wei lost 21-23, 21-14, 21-13 to South Korea's Jung Kyung Eun-Shin Seung Chan.