Dubai World Superseries Finals 2017: PV Sindhu emulates Saina Nehwal’s feat by reaching the final

With a 21-15, 21-18 win over the World No. 8 Chen Yufei, PV Sindhu joined Saina Nehwal as the second ever singles shuttler from India to make it to the final of the Dubai World Superseries Finals. Overall, the World No. 3 became the fourth Indian to find a place in the summit clash of this prestigious season finale.

It was the mixed doubles pair of Jwala Gutta and V Diju, who etched their names in the record books as the first Indians to reach the final of this event in 2009 held in Johor Bahru, Malaysia. The duo had to be content with a runner-up finish after succumbing to a 14-21, 18-21 defeat to the Danish combine of Joachim Fischer Nielsen and Christinna Pedersen.

Two years later, Saina Nehwal became the third Indian and the first singles player from the country to repeat that feat. Nehwal gave her best and even snatched a game only to end up with a 21-18, 13-21, 13-21 defeat to the Chinese superstar, Wang Yihan at the event held in Liuzhou, China.

For six years, the former World No. 1 remained as the only singles exponent from India to achieve that until Sindhu won Saturday’s semi-final over Chen Yufei to give her company.

Sindhu will aim to create history

Sindhu’s best performance so far at the Superseries Finals has been a semi-final finish which she achieved only last year. This time she went one better and will look to become the first Indian to win a title at this elite event.

She will take on the World No. 2 Akane Yamaguchi, a player she beat effortlessly in the group stage on Friday.

With today’s win, Sindhu has now reached three of the four Major finals in badminton, with the Olympics and the World Championships being the two others. While she had to settle for the silver in both of those, the Pullela Gopichand protégé will hope to end what has been the best year for Indian badminton, on a winning note.