Top seed Xu Xin of China advanced to the last 16 of the men's singles event at the World Table Tennis Championships here on Friday.

Xu, who has yet to win a major world title, defeated world 44th- ranked Tiago Apolonia of Portugal 11-8, 11-0, 11-8, 11-7.

He will next face either Japan's Chan Kazuhiro or another Portuguese Marcos Freitas for a place in the quarterfinals.

World No. 7 Dimitrij Ovtcharov of Germany, the bronze medalist at last year's Olympic Games, also went through to the last 16 after beating Tang Peng of Hong Kong, China, 9-11, 11-7, 10-12, 11- 3, 11-4, 11-3.