Only the players who have performed the best in the 12 Super Series events held by the BWF each year get to play in the finals. Making the finals is an honor and affirmation for the qualifying players. This year’s finals will be held in Kuala Lumpur. The VICTOR stars who have qualified are: Bae Youn Joo, Tai Tzu Ying, Sung Ji Hyun in the women’s singles;  Lee Yong Dae／Ko Sung Hyun, Kim Ki Jung／Kim Sa Rang in the men’s doubles; Jang Ye Na／Kim So Young in the women’s doubles;and Ahmad／Natsir in the mixed doubles. The preliminary round will use a single round robin format;the top two in each qualifying group will proceed to the semifinals. The groups will be announced on December 10. For the latest tournament news, check the official VICTOR website or Facebook

 

The eight top ranking Super Series men’s doubles players have all confirmed they will play, apart from Jorgensen of Denmark. Top of the list is local hero Lee Chong Wei; he has only played nine Super Series events this year but has achieved an enviable record of six wins and two second places, bagging over 83000 points, well ahead of second placed Tago Kenichi. 2008-2010 he won the title three years in a row and the local fans will be hoping he can emerge triumphant once again.

 

China’s women’s singles star Wang Shi Xian qualified in first place with over 60,000 points. Last year’s winner Li Xue Rui has only taken part in eight Super Series events this year so is in only fifth place. There is a regulation that in each discipline each country can have a maximum of two players／pairs in the eight qualifiers so one of China’s top players, Wang Yi Han, will not play; as result, Chinese Taipei’s Tai Tzu Ying, who was ninth in the points table, will play in her place at her first Super Series final. 

 

Top of the qualifiers in the men’s doubles are world champions Ahsan／Setiawan. Reigning title holders Boe／Mogenson will appear unless something unexpected happens. Famous ROK pair Lee Yong Dae／Ko Sung Hyun are in fourth place after recording very good results, three wins and five seconds, in the first half of this year. They no longer play together but will reunite for the Super Series finals!

 

In the women’s doubles, China’s Yu Yang／Wang Xiao Li are top of the BWF world rankings but they have only taken part in eight Super Series events; as they have amassed fewer points than Japanese pair Matsumoto Misaki ／ Takahashi Ayaka who have played in every one, they are in second on the list of qualifiers for the finals. Popular Kim Ha Na of the ROK has pulled out due to injury so her and her partner’s place will be taken by ninth placed Jang Ye Na／ Kim So Young, also of the ROK.

 

In the mixed doubles, this year’s best pairs Zhang Nan／Zhao Yun Lei and Ahmad／Natsir will certainly play. Zhang／Zhao have won six titles this year and are back at No. 1 in the world, however Zhao’s ankle injury may affect her performance at this tournament. “Indonesian lightning” Ahmad／Natsir have taken four titles this year, including the Badminton World Championship and the All-England Open, and are expected to do well. Also in with a good chance of winning are newly-married Adcock／White of England. After taking the title at the Hong Kong Open in November their world ranking has risen to fifth, their best ever.

 

Another talking point of this event is that a line call monitoring system will be used for the first time in badminton history. This is similar to the Hawk-eye system used in tennis. If a player questions a line umpire’s call he／she can immediately challenge it and then match officials use the various high speed camera s at the side of the court to replay the shot and decide whether the call was correct. 

 

( Edit by VICTOR Badminton )