Dubai World Superseries Finals 2017: PV Sindhu and Srikanth Kidambi looking to finish the year on a high

Winning the year-ending World Superseries Finals title would be the perfect finish to what has been the best season for Indian badminton in a long time. Both PV Sindhu and Srikanth Kidambi would be aiming for just that when the $1 million event kicks off at the Hamdan Sports Complex on Wednesday.

For Sindhu, who looked out of sorts since her win at the Korea Open, the Hong Kong Open was the balm that she needed. The 22-year-old looked thoroughly rejuvenated and reinvigorated at the final Superseries tournament of the season where she finished second best to the top-ranked Tai Tzu Ying.

Sindhu hoping to build on her Hong Kong Open form

Needless to say, it gave her back the confidence that she desperately needed ahead of the season finale and now she has arrived in Dubai with a lot more conviction in her abilities. Avoiding the Chinese Taipei ace in the round robin stage should work in favour of the lanky Indian and help her find her feet before the knockout rounds commence.

That said, the India Open champion’s assignments in the group stage would still not be easy. In her first match, she faces the ninth ranked He Bingjiao, a player who has a slender 5-4 edge over the Indian. But Sindhu did beat the Chinese in their most recent showdown at the Korea Open semi-finals and that experience should come in handy when the two square off.

World No. 2 Akane Yamaguchi is the highest ranked player in Sindhu’s group, who dazzled in the last couple of months, establishing herself as the most consistent player. The in-form Japanese, was, however, derailed by the Indian in Hong Kong and that win should come into play when the two lock horns in Dubai.

Sindhu’s aggressive game was on point that day and she needs to repeat that and not let the Japanese bring forth her deceptive strokes.

Against the third player in the group -- World No. 15 Sayaka Sato -- Sindhu is up 2-1 in their head-to-head record. The Japanese apparently does look the weakest out of the four in Group A. Interestingly, two out of her three matches with the Indian have gone the distance. Thus, complacency cannot find a place when the Pullela Gopichand protégé takes on the Indonesia Open champion, even though she will be the overwhelming favourite.

The World Championships silver medallist, who reached the semi-finals at Dubai in 2016, has a realistic opportunity of topping her group if she plays her natural game. Fitness will be the key to her chances of success at the Superseries Finals as much as it is for her compatriot, Srikanth Kidambi in the men’s singles section.

Fitness will be the key to Srikanth’s success

Srikanth Kidambi is raring to go after a break

That was the Guntur-born shuttler’s primary concern before the Superseries Finals. And that is exactly the reason why, he stopped chasing for the World No. 1 ranking and instead focussed on recovering from the hamstring niggle that he sustained at the Senior National Championships.

Skipping the China Open and the Hong Kong Open was a wise decision taken by the 24-year-old in a hectic season that has seen him surge to an incredible four Superseries titles. For a player of Srikanth’s calibre, right scheduling is far more vital than match play.

And with the much-required respite, the World No. 4 is now raring to go. World Champion and World No. 1 Viktor Axelsen being in the same group is definitely a cause of worry. However, Srikanth has already proved that he can fearlessly compete with the very best in the game if he is fit. Having been hammered by the Dane in Japan, the Indian left all badminton aficionados spellbound at the way he turned around the match in Denmark.

Axelsen was reduced to a rather pedestrian player in the decider, who could only grab a meagre seven points. The Dane too is coming off a toe injury that required him to pull out of Hong Kong. Needless to say, the defence of his Dubai title will be severely tested by Srikanth and this will be the most awaited match of Group B.

Srikanth could probably breathe a sigh of relief by looking at the other names in his group. World No. 7 Chou Tien Chen is tied 1-1 with the Indian in their head-to-head meetings and they have not met in two years.

World No. 8 Shi Yuqi has never won a match against Srikanth in three showdowns, although he did manage to snatch a game from the Indian for the first time at the French Open this year. Srikanth has never made it past the semi-finals at this elite event and given how he has performed throughout the year, there could not be a better time to improve on that record.