The list of eight Mixed Doubles qualifiers for the Dubai World Superseries Finals fell into place in the opening round of last week’s Yonex-Sunrise Hong Kong Open, the final stop in the 12-event strong MetLife BWF World Superseries circuit. Japan’s Kenta Kazuno/Ayane Kurihara grabbed the eighth spot in the Destination Dubai Rankings at the expense of Olympic silver medallists Chan Peng Soon/Goh Liu Ying. Here are brief profiles of the eight pairs that have qualified for the 14-18 December finale at Hamdan Sports Complex:
Destination Dubai Rankings (Top 8)
KO Sung Hyun/KIM Ha Na (featured image) – KOREA
Destination Dubai Ranking: 1
Date of Birth: 21 May 1987/ 27 December 1989
Recent Achievements:
2015 Dubai World Superseries Finals – runners-up
2016: OUE Singapore Open – winners; Victor Korea open – winners; BCA Indonesia Open – runners-up; Yonex Open Japan – runners-up; Yonex French Open – runners-up
LU Kai/HUANG Yaqiong – CHINA
Destination Dubai Ranking: 2
Date of Birth: 4 October 1991 / 28 February 1994
Recent Achievements:
2016: Yonex Sunrise India Open – winners; Xiamenair Australian Open – winners
Joachim Fischer NIELSEN/Christinna PEDERSEN – DENMARK
Destination Dubai Ranking: 3
Date of Birth: 23 November 1978/ 12 May 1986
Recent Achievements:
2016 Yonex Denmark Open – winners; Yonex All England Open – runners-up
ZHENG Siwei/CHEN Qingchen – CHINA
Destination Dubai Ranking: 4
Date of Birth: 26 February 1997 / 23 June 1997
Recent Achievements:
2016: Yonex Open Japan – winners; Yonex French Open – winners; Xiamenair Australian Open – runners-up; Victor Korea Open – runners-up; Yonex Denmark Open – runners-up
Tontowi AHMAD/ Liliyana NATSIR – INDONESIA
Destination Dubai Ranking: 5
Date of Birth: 18 July 1987/ 9 September 1985
Recent Achievements:
2015 World Championships – bronze medal
2016 Olympic Games – gold medal
2016: Celcom Axiata Malaysia Open – winners; Thaihot China Open – winners; Yonex-Sunrise Hong Kong Open – winners
Praveen JORDAN/Debby SUSANTO – INDONESIA
Destination Dubai Ranking: 6
Date of Birth: 12 January 1988/ 3 May 1989
Recent Achievements:
2016: Yonex All England Open – winners; Yonex-Sunrise Hong Kong Open – runners-up
Chris ADCOCK/Gabrielle ADCOCK – ENGLAND
Destination Dubai Ranking: 7
Date of Birth: 27 April 1989/ 25 August 1984
Recent Achievements: 2015 Dubai World Superseries Finals winners
Kenta KAZUNO/Ayane KURIHARA – JAPAN
Destination Dubai Ranking: 8
Date of Birth: 25 November 1985 /27 September 1989
Recent Achievements:
2016: Yonex French Open quarter-finals; Xiamenair Australian Open quarter-finals; OUE Singapore Open quarter-finals