Top seed Lin Dan takes on second seed Shi Yuqi in the Men's singles final of 2017 Swiss Grand Prix Gold in Basel on Sunday.
The two-time champion needed only 47 minutes to decimate Indonesia's Anthony Ginting 21-17, 21-17 in his semi-final clash yesterday evening while his compatriot Shi was made to work hard in his last-four match by Taiwan's Tzu Wei Wang. The world number eight lost the first game but came back from behind strongly to take the match 18-21, 21-17, 21-15 in almost an hour.
Lin will gunning for revenge against Shi as it was the latter who ousted the former from All England Championships in the semi-final stage earlier this month. The 33-year-old lost the quarter-final of German Open on his comeback from a long lay-off post the Rio Games and was looking set to reach the final in Birmingham and take on his familiar foe Lee Chong Wei but stumbled in straight games in the last-four round.
On the other hand, Shi will want to look at this as another opportunity to topple the giant again and send out a message to the rest of the pack early in the season. Having won his maiden Superseries title in 2016 in France, the 21-year-old impressed in Birmingham but lost the title match without testing his opponent Lee Chong Wei.
Shi looked overwhelmed by the occasion and never looked to be in the game against the Malaysian great but he should try and focus on his game when he takes on Lin in another big clash later today. The world number seven though would want to make amends for what has been an ordinary season so far and prove his doubters wrong with a title in Switzerland.
TV Schedule
Singapore: Hub Sports
Malaysia: Astro Supersport
India: Star Sports
