English number one Tracey Hallam bowed out of the ladies' singles at the World Badminton Championships in Anaheim. Hallam, who was England's last player left in the championships, lost 11-3 11-1 to second seed Xie Xingfang from China in the quarter-finals.
The 30-year-old was disappointed with her defeat but pleased to have lived up to her number seven seeding.
"I aimed to make the quarter-finals and I've done that, despite coming here with a few niggles," she said.
Defending mixed doubles champions and Olympic gold medallists Zhang Jun and Gao Ling also crashed out.
They lost 10-15 15-7 15-11 to Thai seventh seeds Saralee Thungthongkam and Sudket Prapakamol.
The Chinese pair beat Britain's Gail Emms and Nathan Robertson in last year's Olympic final in Athens.
In the semi-finals, they will meet either Sweden's Frederik Bergstrom and Johanna Persson or Indonesian fourth seeds Nova Widianto and Lilyana Natsir.
MMIX
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