The 28-year-old is hoping to win a seventh China Open title and got off to the perfect start at the Sichuan Provincial Gymnasium.

He overcame Japan's Kenta Tazoe 11-5, 7-11, 11-6, 11-6, 11-7.

The Chinese Rio 2016 Olympic champion has won the tournament on six occasions including wins in 2009, 2011, 2013 and 2015. 

In 2013 he won the competition twice when it was held in both Changchun and Suzhou.

China is the world's dominant country in table tennis and Fan Zhendong, the world number two and reigning champion at the tournament, also made it through today.

He saw off Asuka Machi of Japan 11-6, 11-13, 11-9, 7-11, 11-3, 11-8.

World Championships bronze medallist Xu Xin also made a solid start on home soil as he beat Frenchman Emmanuel Lebesson 11-8, 11-7, 11-7, 11-3.

In the women's event, China’s Chen Meng staged a remarkable comeback to recover from two sets down to beat South Korea's Suh Hyowon.

Ranked fifth in the world Chen lost the opening two games 11-8 and 11-6 against her opponent, who is 29th in the world rankings.

Chen's class eventually shone through though as she recovered to win the next four games 11-8, 11-8, 15-13, 12-10 to make it through to round two.

World number 34 Sakura Mori of Japan produced arguably the shock of the day.

She beat Han Ying of Germany, ranked ninth in the world, 4-11, 11-8, 10-12, 11-7, 11-7, 11-9.

Seven out of the top eight seeds in the women’s singles made it through to round two in a relatively smooth manner.

Chinese trio Ding Ning, Liu Shiwen and Zhu Yuling and Japan's Kasumi Ishikawa all won their first round matches without dropping a set.

Third seed Feng Tianwei of Singapore and eighth seed Japan's Miu Hirano dropped one each.

Action is due to continue tomorrow with the tournament concluding with finals on Sunday (June 25).