Badminton: Les Bleus vice-champions of Europe

The Blues are on the second step of the podium at the European Mixed Team Championships which were played in Vantaa (Finland). In the final, France fell against Denmark.

After an ideal course in these European Championships, it is a major challenge that awaits Christo Popov (n ° 71) against Viktor Axelsen (n ° 2), in the final. The 2017 world champion has lost only once in 2021 out of his 15 games played. But the Frenchman wants to follow in his footsteps with his title of 2019 junior vice-world champion. Completely uninhibited, the Fosséen played his luck bravely but the Danish giant did not give up. Each time, Christo Popov does better than resist by being 10/11 in the 2nd set but when the Scandinavian decides to accelerate difficult to stop him. The latter wins 21/16 21/12, allowing Denmark to lead in the score. Xuefei Qi (# 39) is the next to enter the court. In front of her, Mia Blichefeldt (n ° 12). The two have met twice and the Dane leads 2/0. Their last clash was in 2018. Since then, the Frenchwoman has progressed. The first set is a real crossover. The Frenchwoman thinks she has done the hard part by coming back to 18 everywhere after being led 14/18 but Blichefeldt resumes the attack and concludes the first set. The second is exactly the same but once again at 18/18 the game turns in favor of the Dane who wins 21/18 21/19.

The French no longer have a choice. We must win the double man to maintain hope. Ronan Labar and Julien Maio stick to it against Anders Skaarup Rasmussen and Kim Astrup (n ° 15). As a symbol, it was the same match that decided Denmark’s victory over France in the final of the European Men’s Team Championships in Kazan in 2016. The French lost 12/21 14/21. Denmark is crowned for the 4th time in a row in this competition. The French leave with the money. A great medal for this young French team which for the first time in its history achieved a podium in this competition. “It’s not every day that you can play a player of this level so it was necessarily special for me. Axelsen is a world champion, a winner of many tournaments, ”said Christo Popov. “This match reminded me of how to prepare to win this kind of match. It is necessarily a good experience. There is still a small step to climb but we are not that far. I especially did not have to force the attack and be ready for long rallies to wait for the right opportunity. ”

Olivier Navarranne

Photo credit: SUSA / Icon Sport