India’s Sameer Verma, on Thursday, registered a shock victory over world No 12 Loh Kean Yew to advance to the men’s singles quarter-finals of the 2024 Australian Open Super 500 in Sydney.

Verma, ranked 114th in the world, took down the former world champion 21-14, 14-21, 21-19 in a contest which lasted 62 minutes.

The Indian started off well in the contest opening up an 11-6 lead at the first mid-game break before pocketing it without breaking a sweat. The eighth seed from Singapore, however, fought back well in the next game to win it with an identical 21-14 margin and force a decider.

Verma struggled to get going in the final game and trailed 2-9 before reducing the deficit to 5-11. The tides, however, turned after the change of ends as the 29-year-old Indian won 16 of the next 24 points in the match to book himself a spot in the quarter-finals.

Earlier in the day, HS Prannoy made quick work of Israel’s Misha Zilberman 21-17, 21-15 in straight games to head into the quarter-finals.

Meanwhile, Aakarshi Kashyap also advanced to the women’s singles quarter-finals with a 21-16, 21-13 win over Australia’s Kai Qi Teoh.

The mixed doubles pair of Sumeeth Reddy and Sikki Reddy also advanced with a 21-11, 21-11 win over Kai Qi Teoh and Kai Chen Teoh in just 25 minute.

On the other hand, Kiran George, Malvika Bansod, Anupama Upadhyaya, and the women’s doubles pair of Rutaparna Panda-Swetaparna Panda all bowed out of contention in the Round of 16.