Dubai: Dubai’s growing reputation as a hub for world class sporting action gets a big boost this weekend when, for the first time, it hosts the season ending BWF Destination Dubai World Superseries Finals.
The quality of action at the Hamdan Sports Complex between December 17 and 21 will be of unquestionable standards as eight top-ranked players from the BWF Destination Dubai Rankings in men’s and women’s singles, men’s and women’s doubles and mixed doubles compete for a share of a $1 million prize pool.
Reigning Men’s Singles world champion and World Number 2 Chen Long of China will lead the fray in men’s singles while her compatriots Wang Sixian and Wang Yihan, followed by India’s Saina Nehwal form the top three of Destination Dubai Women’s Singles rankings. Korean’s Lee Yong Dae and Yoo Yeon Seong lead the men’s doubles teams in the Destination Dubai rankings as do Japanese Misaki Matsumoto and Ayaka Takahashi in the women’s doubles rankings.
Chinese Xu Chen and Ma Jin are the top seeds in the tournament’s mixed doubles.
“This is the highlight of the Series, so I will try my best to win. This really is the peak of all the BWF events,” Chen said after Monday’s draw in which he is pitted against Korea’s Son Wan Ho, Japan’s Kenichi Tago and Demnark’s Hans-Kristian Vittinghus in Men’s Singles Group A.
Indian superstar Saina Nehwal, who knows a sizeable portion of the crowd will be backing her here, reckons she has a tough draw in Women’s Singles Group A where she faces China’s Wang Shixian and Koreans Sung Ji Hyun and Bae Yeon Ju.
“It’s not going to be easy reaching the semi-finals because every match will be extremely hard-fought. However, the conditions are great and it’s a great place to play badminton,” the 2012 Olympic Bronze medalist told XPRESS on Tuesday.
“I know I will get a lot of support from the crowd. Sometimes that’s good because it spurs you on to do better, sometimes it can put undue pressure on you. I hope it’s more of the first one,” added the World Number 4 who won three major tournaments this year.
Also finding favour from the UAE’s large British expatriate community here will be their only representatives - England’s husband and wife pair of Chris and Gabrielle Adcock who are excited to have made it to the tournament.
“It’s nice to be playing somewhere different. I know there’s a lot of excitement among the players to be here in Dubai,” said Chris.
To qualify, players had to amass points from 12 World Superseries Tournaments held around the world throughout the year. The World Superseries Finals will return to Dubai every December until 2017 as part of a four-year partnership. Tickets, starting from Dh20, are on sale at www.ticketmaster.ae.
