Match: Son Wan Ho v Viktor Axelsen
Date: 17 December, Saturday
Time: 8:30pm SGT/6pm IST/12:30pm GMT (onwards)
Venue: Hamdan Sports Complex, Dubai
Competition: BWF World Superseries Finals, 2016
TV Channel: There is no live TV coverage in Singapore.
Live Streaming: Hotstar, Tournament's official YouTube channel
Overview
Viktor Axelsen's BWF Supsereies 2016 final was all but over when he lost the first game of his final group match against world number one Lee Chong Wei. It was a high-octane clash as both shuttlers, having lost a match in the group before Friday's outing, desperately wanted a win to progress to the semi-final stages.
However, Axelsen came back strong to take the second game 21-14 against the Malaysian, who was showcasing top defensive skills. In a third game, which saw a neck-to-neck battle, the world number four scathed through, thanks to a couple of unforced errors in the end from Lee.
"I have lost nine times to him, I've been in six Superseries (losing) finals... but you fall and you stand up again. I am going to stand up every time I fall. It is a privilege to play these matches so I'm going to enjoy the moment," Axelsen said, as quoted by BWF's official website.
Axelsen has successfully reached the last-four stages of the tournament for the second successive year after the 22-year-old finished runner-up in 2015. Despite not having a Superseries title under his belt in 2016, the Dane beat Lin Dan to clinch an Olympic bronze at the Rio Games earlier this year.
After surviving what has been a tough group stage campaign, the European champion is pumped up for the big match against the South Korean. Son, on the other hand, has played two back-to-back marathon matches against Axelsen (76 minutest) and Ng Ka Long (51 minutes), which he lost 26-24, 8-21, 11-21.
The second seed, who has slipped at the final stages of Supeseries tournaments four times in the ongoing season, will have to be at his best against his opponent, who is oozing confidence after beating Lee.
Son should take confidence from his 5-3 head-to-head advantage against Axelsen. The 28-year-old has also beaten him thrice in the ongoing season but a lot will also depend on how fit the South Korean is for the big clash on Saturday.
TV Schedule
India: Star Sports HD 2
