Canada Open 2019: Parupalli Kashyap vs Li Shi Feng Final – Preview, Where to watch, Live Stream Details and more

Former Commonwealth Games gold medallist Parupalli Kashyap is on a mission this week to prove that age is just a number. At the ongoing Canada Open, a Super 100 tournament in Calgary, he notched up his third consecutive three-game match to secure his place in the final.

The sixth-seeded Kashyap fought for 1 hour 10 minutes before he could subdue the challenge of the fourth-seeded Wang Tzu Wei 14-21, 21-17, 21-18. It was Kashyap's third win over the Taipei shuttler in as many meetings.

Most importantly, this was the 32-year-old Kashyap's third straight match exceeding 1 hour and that clearly indicates how good he has been feeling physically of late. And that has given the former World No. 6 immense confidence after the unfortunate injury troubles in the last few years.

Against Wang, losing the first game could not deter him nor could a 5-11 deficit in the decider. That itself shows how hungry Kashyap is to taste title glory yet again after all those setbacks.

In his first BWF final since winning the Austrian Open 17 months ago, the 36th-ranked Kashyap faces World No. 126 Li Shi Feng of China whom he has never met before. The highly-talented Feng, a junior prodigy, has already reached two finals this year and ended up on the losing side in both. That would surely motivate him to become third time lucky.

The reigning Youth Olympic gold medallist has also spent much less time on the court this week than Kashyap. That could also be another factor favouring the 19-year-old.

However, Kashyap's vast experience and staunch determination might just prove to be the difference-maker in this interesting battle and can help him to pull through.