SS FINALS 2015 Day 3 – Who’s in, Who’s out?

Three days of intense group matches at the Superseries Finals in Dubai eventually ended to disclose the names of every player who will attempt to qualify for their ultimate final of the year. One player particularly stood out in this competition: Nozomi Okuhara showed immense talent once again, teaching World Champion Carolina Marin a lesson, 21-9, 21-15.

By Tarek Hafi. Photos: Badmintonphoto (live)

Japan’s wonder Nozomi Okuhara (pictured), set the standard at a very high place, during the third day of the BWF World Superseries Finals, bringing huge embarrassment to her illustrious opponents since day one. The twenty-years old elite player, as usual, showed extreme firmness to bring down, none other than Carolina Marin, current world number one and world champion.

Marin, despite her loss, probably prayed the whole day for Tai Tzu Ying to beat Saina Nehwal, allowing her a free pass towards the semis, eventually seeing her wishes come true. The Taiwan talent, took three games to beat India’s favourite, thus preventing her from participating in this year’s final festivities. Still, Carolina Marin, will probably be quite worried tomorrow as she’s again set to meet again her killer of the day, Okuhara, looking very eager to grab the final trophy.

Current World Champions Hendra Setiawan and Mohammad Ahsan (pictured) were left with no choice but to win over their nemesis Zhang Nan and Fu Haifeng, obviously aspiring to join the last four in Dubai. Fortunately for the Indonesian fans, the Chinese didn’t seem anywhere close to the Indonesians, who displayed great tactics and techniques to send the two Chinese players back home, with a severe straight-game win, 21-14, 21-16. An opportune win, which will propel Ahsan and Setiawan towards the second place of the Group A, right after the arch favourite, Lee Yong Dae and Yoo Yeon Seong, who sternly punished Japan’s Endo and Hayakawa 21-18, 21-12.

In the early morning, it didn’t smell good for Zhao Yunlei, who had to concede both of her matches due to injury, leaving her mixed double title open now to a new contender.  The withdrawal didn’t mean any good to Indonesia’s Liliyana Natsir and Tontowi Ahmad, as they were forced to take a third place in their group, while Chris and Gabrielle Adcock (pictured bottom) officially extended their stay in Dubai. The English couple celebrated their semi-final place, with a tremendous win over the surprise of these World Superseries Finals, Lee Chun Hei and Chau Hoi Wah, giving them the top spot of their group.

Defending champion and world #1 Chen Long (pictured), displayed once more his meticulous consistency, with a third straight win, defeating Jan O Jorgensen 21-14, 21-17, a fortunate outcome for the Dubai organizers whom chose him as their ambassador. The Chinese player, looking invincible, is now scheduled to meet another Dane, Viktor Axelsen.

Still, despite the loss, Jan O Jorgensen, gathered enough points to reach the semis in this special competition, where he will play the second seed Kento Momota, who scored, like Chen Long, a third win so far in the tournament.

Back in their best shape, title holders, Misaki Matsutomo and Ayaka Takahashi may have defeated China’s Luo Yu and Luo Ying in their last group match, but the semis new draw, scheduled the Japanese to play once again the top seed in tomorrow’s play.

The exact same situation happened in the group, where the semis will reunite Indonesian sensations Greysia Polii and Nitya Krishinda Maheswari against Denmark’s Kamilla Rytter Juhl and Christinna Perdersen, a pair they also beat on Friday, but in straight games only.

Click here for complete Friday results