China’s world champion and tournament top seed Chen Long survived a scare against India’s Kidambi Srikanth on his way to the men’s final at the BWF Destination Dubai World Superseries Finals on Saturday.
Srikanth — India’s remaining hope in the competition and the 2014 China Open winner — raced to a 16-10 lead in the first game before Chen found his rhythm, eventually running out a 21-18, 21-9 winner.
“I was slow to get into the match and Srikanth was showing skills that I’m not familiar with, so it took me a while to figure out how to play him,” the 25-year-old Chinese star said. “I will have to get more fired up from early for the final. There are a lot of Chinese fans here and I want to do my best for them.”
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He was due to face Hans-Kristian Vittinghus of Denmark, who overcame a 0-5 head-to-head record to defeat countryman Jan O Jorgensen 21-11, 21-17 in the other semi-final.
In the women’s singles, India’s Saina Nehwal was knocked out by Taiwan’s Tai Tzu-ying in the semi-finals, disappointing a huge expatriate crowd.
Tai beat Nehwal 11-21, 21-13, 21-9. The Taiwanese player was to tackle Sung Ji-hyun for the title yesterday, after the South Korean defeated Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi 21-13, 21-13 in the other semi-final.
Photo: EPA
“I think I was really tired in the second [game], I started well, but again when the long rallies started happening I felt a little tired,” Nehwal said.
In the first semi-final of the mixed doubles, Zhang Nan and Zhao Yunlei’s dream season continued as they gave themselves a chance to claim another major title.
The Chinese pair were too strong for England’s Chris Adcock and Gabrielle Adcock, winning 21-9, 21-12.
Photo: EPA
Zhang and Zhao were to face compatriots Liu Cheng and Bao Yixin yesterday after they ended the run of defending champions Joachim Fischer Nielsen and Christinna Pedersen, 21-13, 21-12.
In the women’s doubles, Japan’s Misaki Matsutomo and Ayaka Takahashi won a marathon match against China’s Luo Ying and Luo Yu. The Japanese duo were stretched for 98 minutes before clinching a place in the final 21-14, 13-21, 21-14.
China’s Tian Qing and Zhao Yunlei defeated Jung Kyung-eun and Kim Ha-na of South Korea 21-9, 21-9 to also reach the final.
In the first final yesterday, the men’s doubles, South Korean pair Lee Yong-dae and Yoo Yeon-seong edged Chinese rivals Chai Biao and Hong Wei 19-21, 21-19, 21-16.
Lee and Yoo made the final after defeating Danish hopes Mathias Boe and Carsten Mogensen 21-15, 21-16, while Chai and Hong beat Japan’s Hiroyuki Endo and Kenichi Hayakawa 18-21, 21-15, 21-12.
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