Match: Akane Yamaguchi v Sun Yu
Date: 16 December, Friday
Time: 5:30pm SGT/3pm IST/9:30am GMT
Venue: Hamdan Sports Complex, Dubai
Competition: BWF Dubai World Superseries Finals 2016
TV Schedule: There is no live TV coverage in Singapore.
Live Streaming: BWF's official YouTube channel, Hotstar
Overview
Sun Yu is looking unstoppable in the ongoing tournament, beginning her campaign with two wins against the reigning Olympic champion Carolina Marin and the Rio Olympic silver medallist PV Sindhu.
Sun has not dropped a game yet and has even recovered from testing positions during her clashes. On Thursday, despite clinching the first game against Sindhu, the Chinese shuttler was pushed to the backfoot when she trailed 9-13. However, the world number six recovered well and took the match 21-15, 21-17.
Even in her first match, against Marin, Sun saw eight successive match points being saved but the 22-year-old held on won the match 21-18, 24-22. After missing out on a Superseries title in the 2016 season with agonising defeats in the final stages, the Chinese shuttler is looking set to grab the big title in Dubai. She would want to head into the semi-final with a perfect group stage record.
On the other hand, Akane Yamaguchi's campaign was looking all but over when lost the first game against Marin 18-21 on Thursday, a day after she was beaten by Sindhu. However, the Japanese teenager showed resilience and clinched the next two games 21-17, 21-14 to keep herself in contention for the semi-final spot.
With Sun confirming her berth in the last-four, all the other three shuttlers are mathematically in contention for the second semi-final spot from Group B. If Sun wins and Sindhu loses in her game against Marin, then it will be a three-way tie at one point each. If Sun loses and Sindhu wins, then it will be three-way tie involving both the shuttlers and Yamaguchi at two points each. In both cases, the number of games and points won will come into play.
Yamaguchi, who has won two Superseries titles this year, would not want to leave it to chances but will look to seal it in the match against Sun, who has beaten her twice in 2016.
TV Schedule
India: Star Sports HD 2
