Dubai: China’s World champion and tournament top seed Chen Long survived a scare against India’s Kidambi Srikanth tonight on his way to the men’s finals of the BWF Destination Dubai World Superseries Finals.
Srikanth, India’s remaining hope in the competition, and the 2014 China Open winner, started strongly and raced to an 18-15 lead in the first game before Chen found his rhythm, eventually running out the winner 21-18, 21-9.
Chen said after the match “I had to make an adjustment after the first game, I needed more patience. The first half of the game, I was not familiar with his skills, I’m not used to how he plays, so I had to adjust. Srikanth was very good.
“I feel confident for tomorrow as I have already played the Danish players. I will have to approach tomorrow’s game differently, I will be excited and ready to play, I need to be strong from the start because it’s the Final.
“There are so many Chinese fans here, so many supporters of both of us. It is good to have them here to cheer for their favorite players.”
In another men’s singles semi-final, underdog world number 11 Hans-Kristian Vittinghus defeated world number 3 Jan O. Jorgensen in straight sets 21-11, 21-17 on Saturday.
Hans-Kristian Vittinghus stormed into the first set, with a 21-11 win. In the second set, after 2-2, Vittinghus took over and kept maintaining the lead until he finished off the second set with 21-17.
Earlier Saturday, the Danish men’s doubles pair of Mathias Boe and Carsten Mogensen were send packing by South Koreans Lee Yong Dae and Yoo Yeon Seong, losing 15-21, 16-21.
Lee/Yoo will play Chai Biao-Hong Wei of China in the men’s doubles final on Sunday.
