SUPERSERIES FINALS 2014 – Who’s destined for Dubai?

The Superseries heads into its last Asian tours with only 10 of 40 spots clinched.

By Don Hearn.  Photos: Badmintonphoto (live)

There are only two tournaments left in the 2014 season at which players can accumulate points toward qualifying for the million-dollar BWF Destination Dubai World Superseries Finals in December.  While 7 more players or pairs clinched their tickets with their performances at last week’s French Open, the field is still wide open, with three quarters of the total berths are still available and some chase packs more than a dozen strong.

Only the top eight players or pairs from each discipline will get the chance to compete for the big money at the Dubai event, which for the first time since 2010 will feature the biggest prize purse in badminton.  Superseries Finals qualification rules also state that each member association will be limited to two qualifiers per discipline.

Some of the players have been meticulously compiling points since the Korea Open last January.  One of the first to clinch a Dubai ticket was women’s doubles leaders Misaki Matsutomo / Ayaka Takahashi (pictured top) of Japan and not coincidentally, they have played all ten Superseries events so far in 2014.  Others are in new partnerships or have otherwise mounted a late push that could see them into the top 8 by curtain time in Hong Kong.  Zhang Beiwen (pictured) of the United States is one such.  After playing only four Superseries tournaments, she is just a couple of miracles away from gaining a berth in the season-ender.

In the following analysis, I am using a conservative definition of ‘clinch’ – marked on the table in bold italics – that entails a top 8 player having enough points to be out of reach of the 9^th place player or pair even should the latter win and the former be unable to play in the first round in China or Hong Kong.  In practice, several other players may be safe if one considers that some of the players who could theoretically earn enough points in the last two tournaments to pass the top 8 player would have to play each other too early.

I have shown in bold the 8 players and pairs who would qualify were the Superseries to end after the first 10 tournaments.  I have shown in grey both the first ineligible player or pair, as well as players who cannot qualify due to being behind two compatriots.  Finally, I have marked with one or two x’s, those who will be inactive at the China and/or Hong Kong Opens.

Women’s doubles

The discipline with both the most qualifiers and the smallest chase group is the women’s doubles.  With Korea and Malaysia both shuffling pairs at the end of the year, and so many other top pairs sitting out one of both of the remaining tournaments, the chase group is quite small.

What’s more, the fact that the top 13 pairs in the standings includes 5 Chinese and 4 Korean pairs means that the 8^th qualifier is to be found well down in the standings.  Current #12 Pia Zebadiah Bernadeth / Rizki Amelia Pradipta (pictured), who are slated to play the Hong Kong but not the China Open, are the only ones at risk from most of the six pairs in the chase group.

Pairs such as Korea’s Lee So Hee / Shin Seung Chan (pictured below) and China’s Wang/Yu could move into the top 8 but their chances of scoring enough points in the China Open to overtake their compatriots are slim and non-existent respectively.

1  Misaki Matsutomo / Ayaka Takahashi (JPN) – 69260
2  Reika Kakiiwa / Miyuki Maeda (JPN) – 57270
3  Kamilla Rytter Juhl / Christinna Pedersen (DEN) – 53400 x
4  Ma Jin / Tang Yuanting (CHN) – 50330 xx
5  Bao Yixin / Tang Jinhua (CHN) – 48410 x
6  Tian Qing / Zhao Yunlei (CHN) – 45040
7  Jang Ye Na / Kim So Young (KOR) – 41960 xx
8  Luo Ying / Luo Yu (CHN) – 40090
9  Jung Kyung Eun / Kim Ha Na (KOR) – 39200 xx
10  Wang Xiaoli / Yu Yang (CHN) – 31200 x
11  Ko A Ra / Yoo Hae Won (KOR) – 29360 xx
12  Pia Zebadiah Bernadeth / Rizki Amelia Pradipta (INA) – 29340 x
13  Lee So Hee / Shin Seung Chan (KOR) – 28660 x
14  Nitya Krishinda Maheswari / Gresya Polii (INA) – 26710
15  Jwala Gutta / Ashwini Ponnappa (IND) – 24120 x
16  Duang Anong Aroonkesorn / Kunchala Voravichitchaikul (THA) – 22940 x
17  Suci Rizky Andini / Tiara Rosalia Nuraidah (INA) – 22160 x
18  Shizuka Matsuo / Mami Naito (JPN) – 22040
19  Puttita Supajirakul / Sapsiree Taerattanachai (THA) – 20460
20  Sari Shinta Mulia / Yao Lei (SIN) – 20230 xx

Men’s doubles is, in contrast, the most wide open race.  Even series leaders Lee Sheng Mu and Tsai Chia Hsin (pictured) of Chinese Taipei cannot rest on their 53,000 points worth of laurels.  If they were to withdraw from the last two events now, Japan’s Hashimoto/Hirata could theoretically overtake them with a semi-final appearance in China and a final in Hong Kong and the assumption is that the seven pairs in between could bridge their smaller gaps too.

The other thing that makes this race interesting is that all 9 pairs in the chase pack are entered in both of the remaining Superseries events, while the #8 pair, Fernaldi/Kido, is entered in only one.  It may be highly unlikely that a pair as far down as Mads Conrad Petersen / Mads Pieler Kolding (pictured) could leapfrog everyone in between but it is not yet a mathematical impossibility.

1  Lee Sheng Mu / Tsai Chia Hsin (TPE) – 53130
2  Hiroyuki Endo / Kenichi Hayakawa (JPN) – 50490
3  Lee Yong Dae / Yoo Yeon Seong (KOR) – 49840
4  Mathias Boe / Carsten Mogensen (DEN) – 46670 x
5  Muhammad Ahsan / Hendra Setiawan (INA) – 43560
6  Liu Xiaolong / Qiu Zihan (CHN) – 40560
7  Fu Haifeng / Zhang Nan (CHN) – 39930
8  Gideon Markus Fernaldi / Markis Kido (INA) – 38930 x
9  Hirokatsu Hashimoto / Noriyasu Hirata (JPN) – 38660
10  Ko Sung Hyun / Shin Baek Cheol (KOR) – 36850
11  Chai Biao / Hong Wei (CHN) – 36340
12  Maneepong Jongjit / Nipitphon Puangpuapech (THA) – 33960
13  Angga Pratama / Ryan Agung Saputra (INA) – 33910 xx
14  Takeshi Kamura / Keigo Sonoda (JPN) – 30920
15  Goh V. Shem / Lim Khim Wah (MAS) – 27180 xx
16  Kim Ki Jung / Kim Sa Rang (KOR) – 26920 xx
17  Cai Yun / Lu Kai (CHN) – 26100
18  Kang Jun / Liu Cheng (CHN) – 24880 x
19  Michael Fuchs / Johannes Schoettler (GER) – 24220
20  Berry Angriawan / Ricky Karanda Suwardi (INA) – 24100 xx
21  Mads Conrad Petersen / Mads Pieler Kolding (DEN) – 23940
22  Hoon Thien How / Tan Wee Kiong (MAS) – 23230 xx
23  Chris Adcock / Andrew Ellis (ENG) – 21320 xx
24  Anders Skaarup Rasmussen / Kim Astrup Sorensen (DEN) – 20060
25  Wahyu Nayaka Arya Pankaryanira / Ade Yusuf (INA) – 19620 xx

Men’s singles may have two players who have mathematically clinched spots – including beleaguered world #1 Lee Chong Wei, who has withdrawn from the remaining two events – but it also has by far the deepest chase pack.  Were current #8 Tommy Sugiarto to stay home from China next month, even current #34 Wei Nan (pictured below) could overtake him with a pair of Superseries titles.  Granted, Wei would have to depend on a lot of inactivity on the part of the players ranked 9^th to 33^rd but he nonetheless has yet to be mathematically eliminated from the race.

To put it another way, the entire main draw at the China Open, will involve players who have something to gain or lose in terms of their chances at grabbing a ticket for the UAE in December.  Even three qualifiers are among those with an outside chance.  Nguyen Tien Minh will be one of the first to see his fate decided as he would need a gold medal in Fuzhou, where he starts against World Champion Chen Long (pictured).

1  Lee Chong Wei (MAS) – 63700 xx
2  Chen Long (CHN) – 56140
3  Jan Jorgensen (DEN) – 47510
4  Son Wan Ho (KOR) – 42720
5  Kento Momota (JPN) – 40800
6  Hans-Kristian Vittinghus (DEN) – 39200
7  Kenichi Tago (JPN) – 38160
8  Tommy Sugiarto (INA) – 37430
9  K. Srikanth (IND) – 34100
10  Takuma Ueda (JPN) – 33960
11  Hu Yun (HKG) – 32689
12  Wang Zhengming (CHN) – 32400
13  Lee Dong Keun (KOR) – 32370
14  Kashyap Parupalli (IND) – 31860
15  Viktor Axelsen (DEN) – 31260
16  Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk (THA) – 30700
17  Sho Sasaki (JPN) – 30420
18  Tian Houwei (CHN) – 28860
19  Boonsak Ponsana (THA) – 28210
20  Chou Tien Chen (TPE) – 27720
21  Nguyen Tien Minh (VIE) – 26760 x
22  Du Pengyu (CHN) – 26590 xx
23  Marc Zwiebler (GER) – 25040
24  Dionysius Hayom Rumbaka (INA) – 24760 xx
25  Simon Santoso (INA) – 24060 x
26  Chen Yuekun (CHN) – 21890
27  Chong Wei Feng (MAS) – 21560
28  Hsu Jen Hao (TPE) – 20840
29  Rajiv Ouseph (GBR) – 20340
30  Brice Leverdez (FRA) – 19790
31  Gao Huan (CHN) – 19220
32  Lin Dan (CHN) – 18560
33  Wong Wing Ki (HKG) – 18480
34  Wei Nan (HKG) – 18300
35  H. S. Prannoy (IND) – 11320 x

Women’s singles is a very interesting list.  Technically, no one has clinched a position but that is only because each of the top three Chinese players is at risk of finishing 3^rd behind her two compatriots when the Hong Kong Open winds up next month.

Also, the chase pack in women’s singles includes no fewer than three Chinese athletes who still stand a chance of entering the top 8 but who cannot now catch any their top three compatriots.  While Sung Ji Hyun and Bae Yeon Ju both currently enjoy seemingly comfortable leads over the nearest challenger Eriko Hirose, both Koreans plan to skip the Hong Kong Open, which could present an opportunity to players like Hirose or one of the next 7 shuttlers.

What the Japanese and Thai shuttlers, including Porntip Buranaprasertsuk (pictured below) have in common is that they must clamber over each other to be in the top two from their country.  Both nations have one woman in the top 8 already and 3 more poised within striking distance.

1  Li Xuerui (CHN) – 74950
2  Wang Shixian (CHN) – 66990
3  Wang Yihan (CHN) – 62260
4  Sung Ji Hyun (KOR) – 50290 x
5  Ratchanok Intanon (THA) – 49110
6  Saina Nehwal (IND) – 43970
7  Bae Yeon Ju (KOR) – 43400 x
8  Tai Tzu Ying (TPE) – 39100
9  Sayaka Takahashi (JPN) – 35340
10  Eriko Hirose (JPN) – 34240
11  Nitchaon Jindapon (THA) – 33030
12  Minatsu Mitani (JPN) – 31020
13  Han Li (CHN) – 30460 x
14  P. V. Sindhu (IND) – 30210
15  Porntip Buranaprasertsuk (THA) – 29820
16  Akane Yamaguchi (JPN) – 26630
17  Carolina Marin (ESP) – 26080
18  Busanan Ongbumrungpan (THA) – 25950
19  Yip Pui Yin (HKG) – 23280 x
20  Liu Xin (CHN) – 22490
21  Zhang Beiwen (USA) – 19010
22  Belaetrix Manuputi (INA) – 17470 xx

Mixed doubles again boasts two pairs, the two most recent title-winners Xu/Ma and Ahmad/Natsir (pictured), leading the pack by a big margin.  Although the chase group stretches down to #25 Arends/Piek of the Netherlands, this range includes four pairs who have quit the Superseries for the year, as well as four pairs from China, Indonesia, and Thailand who would have to combine entry to the top 8 with the overtaking of compatriots in order to qualify for Dubai.

One of the best-performing of the chase pairs is Mads Pieler Kolding / Kamilla Rytter Juhl but skipping the Hong Kong Open will hamper their ability to stay in the top 8.  Indonesia Masters and Dutch Open champions #9 Riky Widianto / Puspita Richi Dili (pictured below) stand a better chance of getting back into the qualification area after skipping the French Open.  Even without the second Danish pair, mixed still promises once again to be the discipline with the greatest European involvement as 3 pairs from Europe are currently among the top 8.

1  Xu Chen / Ma Jin (CHN) – 63350
2  Tantowi Ahmad / Lilyana Natsir (INA) – 60570 x
3  Zhang Nan / Zhao Yunlei (CHN) – 50580
4  Ko Sung Hyun / Kim Ha Na (KOR) – 44870
5  Sudket Prapakamol / Saralee Thoungthongkam (THA) – 43270
6  Joachim Fischer-Nielsen / Christinna Pedersen (DEN) – 42140 x
7  Chris Adcock / Gabrielle White (ENG) – 38690
8  Michael Fuchs / Birgit Michels (GER) – 35320
9  Riky Widianto / Puspita Richi Dili (INA) – 34560
10  Mads Pieler Kolding / Kamilla Rytter Juhl (DEN) – 34140 x
11  Maneepong Jongjit / Sapsiree Taerattanachai (THA) – 33590
12  Liu Cheng / Bao Yixin (CHN) – 33060
13  Markis Kido / Pia Zebadiah Bernadeth (INA) – 32970 xx
14  Kenichi Hayakawa / Misaki Matsutomo (JPN) – 32370
15  Danny Bawa Chrisnanta / Neo Yu Yan Vanessa (SIN) – 31030
16  Lu Kai / Huang Yaqiong (CHN) – 29150
17  Praveen Jordan / Debby Susanto (INA) – 27490 x
18  Chan Yun Lung /  Tse Ying Suet (HKG) – 24100 x
19  Hirokatsu Hashimoto / Miyuki Maeda (JPN) – 24060
20  Lee Chun Hei / Chau Hoi Wah (HKG) – 22440
21  Nipitphon Puangpuapech / Puttita Supajirakul  (THA) – 20760
22  Lee Yong Dae / Shin Seung Chan (KOR) – 20660 xx
23  Anders Kristiansen / Julie Houmann (DEN) – 19780 xx
24  Muhammad Rijal / Vita Marissa (INA) – 19680 xx
25  Jacco Arends / Selena Piek  (NED) – 18630

Note: The above numbers are based on our own calculations.  The official Superseries rankings should be published this Thursday, with the final lists coming out on November 27th.