Ko/Kim Scoop Silver in Superseries Finals, Lee/Chau Poised for Rio

2015-12-14

For the second year in a row, Team VICTOR’s Ko Sung Hyun and Kim Ha Na qualified for BWF World Superseries Finals in Dubai. They’ve won four titles in 2015, all came in the second half of the year, and proved to be one of the most in-form teams in the final showdown.

Ko Sung Hyun, Kim Ha Na, BWF Superseries Finals
Ko Sung Hyun (R) and Kim Ha Na qualified for the year-end Finals for the second year in a row and took a silver medal this year. © Badmintonphoto
 
In their second venture down to the Middle East, Ko Sung Hyun and Kim Ha Na remained perfect with four tense three-game triumphs that sent them into their first final, before falling to the husband-and-wife partnership of the Adcocks.
 
Ko/Kim entered this week as the no.3 team in the Superseries standings, having been #TheRealDeal with consecutive Superseries titles in Odense and Paris in October, and following up with another victory at the Jeonju VICTOR Korea Masters (Grand Prix Gold) just two weeks later. They were also the winners at the Taipei Open Grand Prix Gold tournament in July.
 
Ko Sung Hyun, Kim Ha Na, BWF Superseries Finals
 
Ko Sung Hyun, Kim Ha Na, BWF Superseries Finals
Ko Sung Hyun (L) and Kim Ha Na went 3-0 in the group rounds and fought off Hong Kong's Lee Chun Hei and Chau Hoi Wah to advance to their first final. © Badmintonphoto
 
One of the major surprises was Hong Kong’s Olympic hopes Lee Chun Hei and Chau Hoi Wah. The mixed doubles pair took down World Champion teams Zhang/Zhao, Tontowi Ahmad/Liliyana Natsir to move into the semifinals before losing to Ko/Kim. Lee and Chau are the 2014 Asian Champs and the runners-up in the 2015 event. With the semifinal showing in Dubai, now they are almost certain to earn their berth into the Rio Summer Olympic Games taking place next August.
 
Lee Chun Hei, Chau Hoi Wah, Dubai
Lee Chun Hei (L) and Chau Hoi Wah are fighting to earn their tickets into the Olympics and become the first team from Hong Kong to win a medal in badminton. © Badmintonphoto
 
Lee Yong Dae, Yoo Yeon Seong, Dubai World Superseries
Lee Yong Dae (L) and Yoo Yeon Seong wrapped up with a semifinal showing. © Badmintonphoto
 
Defending men’s doubles champions Lee Yong Dae and Yoo Yeon Seong suffered revenge in the semifinals of Indonesia’s Ahsan/Setiawan, whom they beat comfortably in two games in the Group A round-robin. 2014 women’s singles champion Tai Tzu Ying was eliminated holding the lower game ratio although she posted the same win-lose records as world no.1 and no.2 Marin and Nehwal.
 
 
Final Results of BWF World Superseries Finals 2015:
 
Dubai Superseries
 
 
( Edit by VICTOR Badminton )