Singapore's shuttlers made a mixed start in the first round of the mixed doubles at the OUE Singapore Open on Tuesday evening.

The Republic's duo of Danny Bawa Chrisnanta and Vanessa Neo overcame Chinese Taipei's Liao Min-chun and Chen Hsiao-huan 21-16, 13-21, 21-15 to qualify for the last 16.

The home pair made a bright start to take the first set but things got nervy in the second when they trailed 6-11 at the interval. Unable to recover, proceedings were taken to the final set.

But they regained their composure in time to clinch the third in 46 minutes and set up a meeting with South Korea's Sol Kyu Choi and Yoo Jung Chae on Thursday.

"We were under pressure in the second set but prepared ourselves for the third," said Chrisnanta. "It was a close match and surely wasn't easy."

Compatriots Chayut Triyachart and Shinta Mulia Sari crashed out after falling 15-21, 11-21 to Hong Kong's Reginald Lee and Chau Hoi Wah.

The Hong Kong pair, ranked 14th in the world, were too quick for their opponents and barely needed to get out of first gear to seal victory in a mere 24 minutes.