India's PV Sindhu, world No.7, beat old rival Japan's Akane Yamaguchi in straights sets 21-13, 22-20 in the quarter final to move closer to a medal at the Tokyo Olympics on Friday.
Sindhu had won the silver in Rio 2016 when she lost the women's singles final to Carolina Marin.
She will next face the winner of the other quarterfinal between Thailand's Ratchanok Inthanon and Chinese Taipei's Tai Tzu Ying.
The sixth seeded Indian came into the match with a 11-7 head-to-head count against the Japanese, whom she had last beaten at the All England Championship in March this year.
Earlier on Thursday, Sindhu had notched up a straight-game triumph over Denmark's Mia Blichfeldt, 13th seed, in the pre-quarterfinals.
