Saina eyes China Open to seal berth at Dubai final

New Delhi, Nov. 13: Newly-crowned national champions Saina Nehwal and H.S. Prannoy will look to enhance their chances of qualifying for the Dubai Super Series Finals with a good performance at the $700,000 China Open super series Premier beginning at Fuzhou, China, on Tuesday.

Former world no. 1 Saina upstaged Olympic silver medallist P. V. Sindhu in the national final last week to claim her third championship, while Prannoy stunned Kidambi Srikanth to clinch his maiden title at the 82nd edition of the event at Nagpur.

Interestingly, both Saina and Prannoy are ranked 11th in the Destination Dubai Ranking and are racing against time to book a berth at next month’s super series final with just two Super Series events — China Open and Hong Kong Open — left in the calendar.

The 27-year-old Indian, who clinched bronze at the Glasgow world championship, opens her campaign against USA’s Zhang Beiwen, while Prannoy faces a qualifier in the opening round.

However, Srikanth, who clinched four titles and reached five finals in this season, will take a break this week to nurse a muscle strain. Among others to pull out are Sameer Verma, Ajay Jayaram and B. Sai Praneeth.

Sindhu has also been in impressive form this season with two super series titles — besides a silver at the Worlds.

She too will want to get back to her winning ways after the setback against Saina.