Dubai: India’s P.V. Sindhu is determined to sign off the year on a high at the season-ending $1 million (Dh3.65 million) Dubai World Super Series Final that gets under way at the Hamdan Sports Complex from Wednesday.
Sindhu, who had made it to the semi-finals here last season, has been in great form this year — clinching two Super Series crowns and a runner-up spot along with the silver medal at the World Championship in Glasgow.
In the draw held at the Dubai Sports Council premises on Monday, Sindhu was drawn in Group A alongside Japanese duo of Akane Yamaguchi and Sayaka Sato, He Bingjiao of China. Group B consists of Tai Tzu Ying of Taipei, Sung Ji Hyun of South Korea, Thailand’s Ratchanok Intanon and China’s Chen Yufei.
Kidambi Srikanth, the other Indian in the fray, has also had an amazing run during the year. Also a pupil of Pulella Gopichand, Srikanth has been clubbed in men’s Group B along with defending champion Viktor Axelson (Denmark); Shi Yuqi (China) and Chou Tien Chen (Taipei).
The draw for the annual season finale was held for one last time at the Dubai Sports Council (DSC) premises at D3 District on Monday with the presence of Saeed Hareb, General Secretary, DSC; Thomas Lund, General Secretary, BWF and a handful of players including PV Sindhu, Viktor Axelson, Gabrielle Adcock and Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo.
“It’s been a good year so far where I have won two super series and ended runner-up on a couple of occasions. Then there has been the silver medal in Glasgow. All this adds up well coming in to Dubai. But the hope now is to finish it off with the finals here,” Sindhu told media at the draw ceremony of the Dubai World Super Series Final held at the Dubai Sports Council (DSC) premises at D3 District on Monday.
“Perhaps, the top-20 players in the rankings are all at that big level and that makes it even tougher. So anyone who plays well on a particular day and gives his or her best can win. For myself, I know I have to give my best on each and every day here. The last time I lost in the semi-finals, but this time I hope to go one or two steps further,” she added.
Things are also in Sindhu’s favour as two of arch rivals — Carolina Marin of Spain and Nozomi Okuhara of Japan pulled out with injuries, though the Indian didn’t quite agree. “Nothing is easy when you have the best eight players at a tournament of this nature. All the top players are at more or less one level. On my part, I hope to give my best to end with a win in Dubai,” she affirmed.
“From the first day, it will need to be just step-by-step and I can assure you of some lengthy matches as that is the way things have gone for me this season,” she added.
Defending men’s champion Viktor Axelson of Denmark is also expecting a tough week ahead. “There are never any easy matches in the tournament like this and mentally, I am quite prepared for this. The only one I have not played so far is the Chinese player [Shi Yuqi]. It’s a totally different tournament, and if you don’t play your best then things can never go your way.,” Axelson said.
“But that said, you can lose a match here and still reach the semi-finals. I love it here, so I just need to believe in myself and hopefully my best is good enough for the title,” he added.
