Aamir Ghaffar set up a quarter-final revenge match with defending champion Nick Kidd at the English National Badminton Championships in Manchester. Ghaffar, winner of the title in 2004 and 2005, overcame Steve Smith 21-9 22-20 in round one before beating Ben Witham 21-9 21-19 in just 19 minutes.
It matches him again against Kidd, who beat him easily in the 2006 final.
Kidd progressed after beating Harry Wright 21-17 21-7 while top seed Rajiv Ouseph edged Chris Hotchen 21-18 21-9.
Ghaffar had earlier recovered from being hit in the eye by a shuttlecock to beat Smith but the 27-year-old then took just 19 minutes to dispose of Gloucestershire's Witham.
"I can still feel the eye but I can see all right," he said. "But I'm okay and it didn't really affect my play."
Meanwhile, World and Commonwealth champions Nathan Robertson and Gail Emms got their mixed doubles defence off to a solid start.
They had a first-round bye then put out last month's Australian Youth Olympics bronze medallists Chris Adcock and Gabby White 21-19 21-16.
But England's Dutch Open winners Robert Blair and Jenny Wallwork lost to Chris Tonks and Natalie Munt 21-13 15-21 21-18 in the second round.
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