Badminton

Defending champion, Li Xuerui out of Dubai finals

Li Xuerui, two-time World Superseries Finals champion will not be vying for a historic three-peat at the Dubai World Superseries Finals.

China’s world No. 1 is the only qualifier not going to Dubai, after she withdrew due to injury.

She will be replaced by compatriot, Wang Yihan.

Other strong contenders in this category include China Open champion Saina Nehwal of India, Hong Kong Open champion Tai Tzu Ying from Chinese Taipei and Korea’s Sung Ji Hyun.

Japan’s World Junior champion Akane Yamaguchi also qualified.

In Men’s Singles, the charge is led by World champion Chen Long of China.

Indonesia Open champion Jan O Jorgensen from Denmark, China Open champion Kidambi Srikanth of India and Hong Kong Open champion, Son Wan Ho are expected to give Chen a run for his money.

Prominent names to miss out on qualifying are defending champion Datuk Lee Chong Wei, who was provisionally suspended for an apparent anti-doping violation and Olympic and Asian Games champion Lin Dan, who failed to qualify despite a spirited comeback since April this year.

Players Confirmed for the BWF Destination Dubai World Superseries Finals:

Men’s Singles: Chen Long (China), Jan O Jorgensen (Denmark), Son Wan Ho (Korea), Kidambi Srikanth (India), Kento Momota (Japan), Hans-Kristian Vittinghus (Denmark), Tommy Sugiarto (Indonesia), Kenichi Tago (Japan).

Women’s Singles: Wang Shixian (China), Wang Yihan (China), Saina Nehwal (India), Ratchanok Intanon (Thailand), Sung Ji Hyun (Korea), Tai Tzu Ying (Chinese Taipei), Bae Yeon Ju (Korea), Akane Yamaguchi (Japan).

Men’s Doubles: Lee Yong Dae/Yoo Yeon Seong (Korea); Lee Sheng Mu/Tsai Chia Hsin (Chinese Taipei); Hiroyuki Endo/Kenichi Hayakawa (Japan); Mohammad Ahsan/Hendra Setiawan (Indonesia); Liu Xiaolong/Qiu Zihan (China); Chai Biao/Hong Wei (China); Mathias Boe/Carsten Mogensen (Denmark); Ko Sung Hyun/Shin Baek Choel (Korea).

Women’s Doubles: Misaki Matsutomo/Ayaka Takahashi (Japan); Reika Kakiiwa/Miyuki Maeda (Japan); Tian Qing/Zhao Yunlei (China); Denmark’s Christinna Pedersen/Kamilla Rytter Juhl; Luo Ying/Luo Yu (China); Chang Ye Na/Kim So Yeong (Korea); Jung Kyung Eun/Kim Ha Na (Korea); Greysia Polii/Nitya Krishinda Maheswari (Indonesia).

Mixed Doubles: Xu Chen/Ma Jin (China); Zhang Nan/Zhao Yunlei (China); Tontowi Ahmad/Liliyana Natsir (Indonesia); Ko Sung Hyun/Kim Ha Na (Korea); Sudket Prapakamol/Saralee Thoungthongkam (Thailand); Engand’s Chris Adcock/Gabrielle Adcock; Joachim Fischer Nielsen/Christinna Pedersen (Denmark); Michael Fuchs/Birgit Michels (Germany).

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