Dubai: There has been little respite for badminton’s Olympic medallists as the race to qualify for the season-ending Dubai World Superseries Finals continued at the Japan Open last week.

Only the top eight ranked players in the world in men’s and women’s singles, doubles and mixed doubles, at the conclusion of 12 MetLife Superseries events held throughout the year, will qualify for Dubai.

For the past two years the finals have captivated audiences, and now with Olympic reputations to uphold and scores to settle, this year’s event promises to be another enthralling contest.

Tickets are now on sale priced Dh25 a day or Dh100 for five days, and fans are advised to buy early to ensure their seats for the finals at the Hamdan Sports Complex from December 14-18.

In the men’s singles in the Japan Open, Malaysia’s Lee Chong Wei, who took his third Olympic silver in Rio, picked up his sixth Japan Open and his third Superseries title for 2016.

He should take top spot when the rankings are updated this week and is on course for his first appearance in Dubai. Denmark’s Jan Jorgensen’s was runner-up in Japan, and consistent performances see him moving into second place, ahead of China’s Tian Houwei.

Rio Olympic gold medallist, two-time world champion and 2014 World Superseries Finals champion Chen Long is yet to take a Superseries title in 2016, but his gold medal in Rio proves that he can find form when the pressure is on. His absence from the Japan Open though, sees him currently languishing well outside the top eight in the rankings.

The women’s singles have been shaken up by the retirements of China’s Wang Shixian and Wang Yihan, and injuries to India’s Saina Nehwal and China’s Li Xuerui. This favours Olympic gold medallist and two-time world champion Carolina Marin who hasn’t carried her 2015 form into this season and is still without a title. Marin also missed the Japan Open and is ranked outside the top eight, but still hopes to qualify.

Leading the rankings is Thailand’s Ratchanok Intanon, who took three of the first six Superseries titles this year, but went down in the quarter finals in Japan. Intanon is followed by 2014 Superseries Finals winner, Chinese Taipei’s Tai Tzu Ying. In Japan it was the turn of the new guard of Chinese players to shine, with 19-year-old He Bingjiao taking her first Superseries title, and pushing her ranking into the top eight. Runner-up Sun Yu will also now break into the top eight. The next Superseries event is the Korea Open from September 27 to October 2.

Tickets for the Dubai finals are on sale at www.ticketmaster.ae — for information visit www.dubaisuperseriesfinals.ae