World bronze medallist Nekoda SMYTHE-DAVIS (GBR) won pool B to clinch a semi-final spot by beating Theresa STOLL (GER) in the quarters. The German judoka started as the number one seed in this group. World silver medallist YOSHIDA Tsukasa (JPN) was on form in pool c as she won all three of her contests by ippon to launch her title bid in style. Paris Grand Slam winner Christa DEGUCHI (CAN) claimed by pool D by besting European champion Nora GJAKOVA (KOS) who was the top seed in the pool as the world number three. Semi-Finals SMYTHE-DAVIS, Nekoda (GBR) v DORJSUREN, Sumiya (MGL)    DEGUCHI, Christa (CAN) v YOSHIDA, Tsukasa (JPN)     MEN -73kg:  World champion and world number one HASHIMOTO Soichi (JPN) was able to seal a place in the semi-finals despite not being at this best in the opening session. HASHIMOTO won two contests by ippon, one by a waza-ari and one by shidos to book a place in the last four.

World bronze medallist GANBAATAR Odbayar (MGL) was the top seed in pool B but fell to European Championships silver medallist and home star Hidayat HEYDAROV (AZE) in the quarter-finals. In pool C, Olympic and world silver medallist Rustam ORUJOV (AZE) ran out of steam against TSEND-OCHIR Tsogtbaatar (MGL) in golden score and was powerless to resist the attacking barrage of the young Mongolian who progressed by a waza-ari score. TSEND-OCHIR then lost his quarter-final to double world bronze medallist AN Changrim (KOR) by ippon from a reverse seoi-nage. In the same pool Olympic champion Fabio BASILE (ITA) was shocked by Nuno SARAIVA (POR) in the opening round. Former -66kg ace BASILE elected to tap out while stuck in a pin from the Portuguese and the out-of-sorts Italian, who had been in fine form in the run up to the Worlds, was eliminated just minutes into the competition on day three.   Pool D, the fourth and final pool, was led by Tommy MACIAS (SWE) on paper but when it came to the tatami the Swede was beaten in round three. The world number three was conquered by Asian Games bronze medallist Mohammad MOHAMMADI (IRI) who went on to beat London 2012 Olympic champion and Ri0 2016 bronze medallist Lasha SHAVDATUASHVILI (GEO) in the quarter-final with an o-soto-gari for ippon. Semi-Finals HASHIMOTO, Soichi (JPN) v HEYDAROV, Hidayat (AZE)      MOHAMMADI, Mohammad (IRI) v AN, Changrim (KOR)Watch the World Championships live on the IJF website.