The qualifiers have been finalised for next month’s BWF Dubai World Superseries Finals to be held at the Hamdan Sports Complex from December 9-13.
Following the last of the 12 MetLife BWF World Superseries tournaments – the Yonex-Sunrise Hong Kong Open – the season-ender has begun to take shape.
The likes of men’s singles stars Chen Long and Lin Dan of China, Denmark’s Jan Jorgensen and Viktor Axelsen, and India’s Kidambi Srikanth, as well as women’s singles world No 1 Carolina Marin of Spain, India’s Saina Nehwal and China’s dynamic duo of Wang Shixian and Wang Yihan, have all secured spots.
The event will showcase the top-eight finishers on the BWF Destination Dubai Rankings in men’s and women’s singles and doubles and mixed doubles.
On the men’s side, Chen Long looms large as the one to beat after a year which has seen him defend his world championship crown and take five Superseries titles.
Two-time Olympic champion and five-time world champion Lin Dan, Jorgensen and Axelsen are also in the hunt.
Women’s world champion Carolina Marin is on a roll, taking five titles in 2015, and finishing top of the qualifying table.
Wang Shixian and Wang Yihan took the next two spots, despite neither taking a title this year.
Marin will be making her first appearance in Dubai after missing qualification last year.
“Dubai will be a tough tournament, but of course I’m happy I could qualify, so looking forward to playing there,” Marin said. “Every opponent is tough, but the toughest opponent is going to be myself. So if I control myself, I know I can win all the games. Last year I didn’t qualify, so it was good motivation for me to qualify this year.”
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