DUBAI SUPERSERIES FINAL: Injury big worry for Saina; Srikanth brimming with confidence
WORLD NO. 2 SAINA NEHWAL and World No.9 Kidambi Srikanth head into the Dubai Super Series Finals, which starts from December 9, with mixed feelings. While Saina is battling injury and will be concentrating on remaining fit, Srikanth is full of confidence as he enters the year-ender on the back of a winning run.
Saina is placed in group 'A' along with Calorina Marin (Spain), Nozomi Okuhara (Japan), and Tai Tzu Ying (Taipei). The Indian shuttler has an upper hand in the head-to-head count against all the them except with Tzu Ying where it is levelled at 5-5. With Marin, the Indian star has a 3-2 edge, while against Okuhara she holds the upperhand at 4-0.
Here are the women's singles groups. #bwfbadminton #badmintondubai pic.twitter.com/wCjda1mVzG
— DubaiWorldSSFinals (@BWFDubaiFinals) December 7, 2015
Saina has had five best performances this year that includes two titles at Syed Modi International and India Open, while she finished as runners-up at three other events -- All England Championship, World Championship, and China Open.
Very happy to have 5 great performances this year 😊😊 pic.twitter.com/m9BNgoRNSh
— Saina Nehwal (@NSaina) November 16, 2015
— Saina Nehwal (@NSaina) November 16, 2015
The only thing troubling Nehwal would be her level of fitness. She was last seen in China Open (runners-up) and had to withdraw from Hong Kong and missed the following two tournaments too due to injury.
Her coach Vimal Kumar brough up her injury.
"The last three weeks after the China Open, she’s been working with the physio and the trainer, trying to strengthen that area," to The Hindu.
“Not much of badminton (in her preparation), only standing strokes. But since this is the year-ending tournament and an important one, she has certain commitments, including with the World Badminton Federation (BWF), so she needs to be there. There’s been a lot of relief and improvement (so far) but it will take a little more time for her to regain her full fitness," he added.
With the much-needed rest in place, she should be putting up a good performance in Dubai, but according to her coach there should not be any high expectations.
“We can’t think too much on those lines (how she will fare in Dubai). Then you get mentally affected. Just go and play and have no expectations."
It will be one match at a time for Saina as the tournament will be a league format. Injury is the only negative factor for the shuttler and if she is able to overcome that, then she could be unstoppable.
Coach Kumar also said January will be an important month.
"When she comes back she has a lot of work to do. January is important; it's when she gets time. She has had continuous tournaments this year. I’m sure it’s the same issue with other top players also. But being an Olympic year, she has to be a little more careful."
On the other hand, Kidambi Srikanth, playing in the men's singles category, is in group 'B'. The others in the group include Kento Momota (Japan), Viktor Axelsen (Denmark), and Tien Chen Chou (Taipei); against all of them the world no. 9 enjoys a decent edge. The head-to-head count against Kento is levelled at 3-3, with Viktor is 2-0 and versus Chou, Srikanth leads by 1-0.
The final groups announcement for men's singles. #bwfbadminton #badmintondubai pic.twitter.com/hgJW5YQkmG
— DubaiWorldSSFinals (@BWFDubaiFinals) December 7, 2015
Srikanth is just fresh off the recently concluded Indonesia Masters GPG where he ended as the runners-up, losing to Tommy Sugiarto in the final after battling it out for exciting three sets.
Runners up #Indonesiaopen #gpgold . Thank you everyone for all the support. See u next week in dubai. #spirit #focus pic.twitter.com/pOQZWmacus
— Sri (@srikidambi) December 6, 2015
With Indonesia Masters, the Indian shuttler has found his winning method back, so his confidence will be boosted. Earlier he had terrible run at various tournaments where he had early exits (first round).
Earlier this year he was in Dubai for an exhibition match against former shuttler Peter Gade which he lost, but he was grateful for getting to play against the legend.
Indonesia Masters was his fourth final this year after winning two (India Open Superseries and Swiss Open Grand Prix Gold) and losing one (India Grand Prix Gold). Significantly, all three performances came at the start of the year and the Dubai SSF comes at a good time as he is back to his winning ways. He should also be following what Coach Vimal Kumar stressed upon, taking one game at a time.
