Margot Lambert and Anne Tran European badminton champions, Toma Junior Popov in silver
One out of two for the Blues in the final of the European Championships. If Toma Junior Popov failed to confirm his feat of the day before, Margot Lambert and Anne Tran completed their adventure and are European champions!
Yesterday, the Marseillaise resounded for the first time in the history of the European Championships, thanks to the victory of Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue in mixed doubles. Building on this success, the French delegation was full of hope for the last day, with two finals on the program.
Margot Lambert and Anne Tran were the first to take action. The day before, they had been very solid and had qualified for their first European final, which rewarded the last few months of very good quality. But the hardest part was yet to come, as they challenged in the final no less than the reigning four-time European champions, sisters Gabriela Stoeva and Stefani Stoeva.
A highly experienced pair who knew when to deliver the blow. While the first set was tight, they staged a deadly acceleration in the form of a 6-0 that launched them on the path to winning the set. The Blues reacted quickly, leading 6-1 at the start of the second set, before seeing the Bulgarians come back to the level. At that time, French chances were not cheap.
Error, since the Blues will suddenly accelerate at the same time as their rivals just before. A substantial lead which will give them the second round, but above all an undeniable advantage. An ascendancy that they will succeed in transposing, breaking away irresistibly with devastating smashes to end up disgusting a Bulgarian pair who were bending…
…and ended up breaking, abandoning its illusions of a quintuplet, quite simply because the Blue were the strongest in the last two rounds. Margot Lambert and Anne Tran won 16-21, 21-17, 21-11 and are European champions. The second European title in two days, after decades of waiting.
Argent content pour Popov ?
For Toma Junior Popov, yesterday was completely historic. Anything but favorites in their semi-final, the Habs finally exploded in the face of the badminton world by claiming the scalp of the best player on the planet, Viktor Axelsen, and thereby validated their place for the Olympic Games. But that doesn’t mean it was all over, since another Dane, Anders Antonsen, former vice-world champion, double world champion and world No. 4, was his opponent.
And the repercussions of this feat weighed heavily at the start of the match. Dominated in all areas, Popov took several points to find his rhythm. Physically, the Frenchman seemed to be suffering, but still played a good game. Unfortunately, on the important points, the Dane was the strongest, and took the opportunity to cut off the French attempt to come back and win the first round.
This was a serious blow to the French ambitions. On a wire, the Blue resisted, remained within firing range, but ended up cracking under the Danish onslaught, giving up his arms not without having fought and not without a bitter taste in his mouth. 21-18, 21-13 defeat of Toma Junior Popov, European vice-champion and now capable of beating the best in the world. To be reproduced next August.
2024-04-14 17:06:30
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