Player rivalries to look forward to in Season 2

New Delhi: We are getting closer to the beginning of Season 2 and January 1, 2017 will see the resumption of old rivalries and the making of the new ones. Here are some awesome player rivalries to look forward to in the new season that will make the PBL all the more special.  PV Sindhu vs Saina Nehwal Saina Nehwal has always had the better of PV Sindhu in tournaments though they haven’t played a lot of matches against each other internationally. Saina’s skill and experience have always bailed her out in their matches but this time, the situation is different going into Season 2. Sindhu is coming on the back of a strong showing in 2016 while Saina is on her way back from a troublesome injury, looking to attain the form that made her world number one not very long ago. Arguably, the most anticipated match of the tournament! Carolina Marin vs PV Sindhu Marin has a better head-to-head record against Sindhu (5-2 W/L) and this is one rivalry that has built up steam after their pulsating gold medal match at the Rio Olympics which the Spaniard won. Sindhu, though, won their last encounter at the Dubai World Super Series in December to show how much she has improved. This one should make for an enthralling watch! Saina Nehwal vs Carolina Marin Saina narrowly leads with four wins in seven encounters between them, although, Carolina did win the big finals like the All-England Championships and World Championships in 2015. These two were also involved in a see-saw battle for the number 1 ranking in the same year. Marin seems to have gone off the boil after her Rio triumph while Nehwal is making a return from a long injury lay-off. This could well be the stage which reignites the intense rivalry between the two fierce competitors. KIdambi Srikanth vs Jan O Jorgensen Both players have two games each against one another. Their most recent encounter was at Rio where Srikanth got the better of Jorgensen in two hard-fought sets. Srikanth looks to be getting better after going through a loss of form in 2016 while Jorgensen has simply taken his game to another level this year. It is going to be high-quality match for sure when these guys clash. Jan O Jorgensen vs Viktor Axelsen It has been a neck-and-neck battle between the two super Danes with both winning three matches apiece. The older Jorgensen dominated their early encounters with the young Axelsen winning the last two of their matches. 2017 will see their fascinating rivalry resume which could well set the tone for the rest of the year. Viktor Axelsen vs KIdambi Srikanth These two didn’t face each other at all in 2016 and all the matches between the two youngsters came in 2015. Srikanth got the better of Axelsen in two finals then with the Dane getting one back in the Dubai World Super Series. It has been a long wait for their rivalry to resume and should make for an exciting match.    Sung Ji Hyun vs PV Sindhu Sindhu leads six wins to four in their head-to-head meetings but Sung won their last encounter in the semi-finals of the Dubai World Super Series. This is one rivalry that has gone under the radar and their battles have been closely fought. Sindhu does have a slight edge but is well aware of Sung’s capabilities. Another fantastic match in the making! Vladimir Ivanov/Ivan Sozonov vs Tan Boon Heong / Tan Wee Kiong The formidable Russian doubles pair of Vladimir Ivanov and Ivan Sozonov play for the same team in Delhi Acers and the former All-England Championship winning pair could dominate the doubles matches. The Malaysian pair of Tan Boon Heong and Tan Wee Kiong may not be regular partners now but know each other’s games very well. Heong and Kiong could arguably be the biggest threat to the Russians’ supremacy in doubles in Season 2.