Rio Olympics gold medal winner Chen Long of China has turned down Badminton World Federation's wildcard invitation to compete in this year's season ending finale – the Dubai World Superseries Finals.
Hong Kong's Hu Yun ( Image above), ranked No 9 in the Dubai ranking list, will now take over Chen Long's place. The 35-year-old will be the second Hong Kong player in Dubai and will join compatriot Angus Ng Ka Long, The 22-year-old Ka Long won this year's Yonex Sunrise Hong Kong Open and moved to No 4 in the Dubai ranking list.
Despite the presence of three Europeans – two Danes and a German – in Dubai, Asians, led by Malaysia's World No 1 and three-time Olympics silver medallist Lee Chong, are still the hot favourites for the men's singles crown.
Chong Wei is four-time winner of the World Superseries Finals. He notched a hattrick from 2008 to 2010 and won again in 2013. The Malaysian ace, has also three silver medals in the World Championships in 2011, 2013 and 2015.
The 34-year-old Chong Wei won this year's Celcom Axiata Malaysia Open, BCA Indonesia Open and the Yonex Japan Open.
Denmark's Jan O Jorgensen topped the Dubai ranking list. The 29-year-old Dane won this year's Thaihot China Open apart from finishing runners-up in the Yonex Japan Open and the BCA Indonesia Open.
No 2 on the Dubai ranking list is South Korea's Son Wan-ho who, on Sunday, won the Korea Masters. In the Superseries the Korean was runners-up in the OUE Singapore Open, the Victor Korea Open and the Yonex Denmark Open.
China's lone flag bearer is Tian Houwei, 24 years, who was runners-up in the Yonex All-England this year. He finished No 3 in the Dubai ranking list.
Ka Long, 22, who became the first local to win the Yonex Sunrise Hong Open is ranked No 4 – ahead of Denmark's Rio Olympics bronze medal winner Viktor Axelsen and last year's runners-up in the Dubai Superseries Finals. He also finished runners-up in this year's Yonex Sunrise India Open.
Marc Zwiebler is the first German to make the Dubai Superseries Finals and made the grade at No 6 and his only notable achievement this year was making the semi-finals in the Japan Open.
The qualifiers for Dubai Superseries Finals
Men's singles
1. Jan O Jorgensen (Denmark)
Achievements:
2015: World Championships – bronze
2016: Thaihot China Open (winner)
Yonex Japan Open (runners-up)
BCA Indonesia Open (runners-up)
2. Son Wan-ho (South Korea)
Achievements:
2016: OUE Singapore Open (runners-up)
Victor Korea Open (runners-up)
Yonex Denmark Open (runners-up)
Korea Masters (winner)
3. Tian Houwei (China)
Achievements:
2016: Yonex All-England (runners-up)
4. Angus Ng Ka Long (Hong Kong)
Achievements:
2016: Yonex Sunrise Hong Kong Open (winner)
5. Viktor Axelsen (Denmark)
Achievements:
2015: Dubai World Superseries Finals (runners-up)
2016: Rio Olympics (bronze)
Yonex Sunrise India Open (runners-up)
6. Marc Zwiebler (Germany)
Achievements:
2016: Yonex Japan Open (semi-finals)
7. Lee Chong Wei (Malaysia)
Achievements:
2008 (Beijing); 2012 (London): 2016 (Rio de Janeiro) Olympics (silver medal)
2011: 2013: 2015: World Championships (silver medal)
2016: Celcom Axiata Malaysia Open (winner)
BCA Indonesia Open (winner)
Yonex Japan Open (winner)
8. Hu Yun (Hong Kong)
Achievements:
2016: Yonex Sunrise Hong Kong Open (semi-finals)
Xianmenair Australia Open (semi-finals)
BCA Indonesia Open (quarter-finals)
