In singles, Christo Popov’s week at the French Open, in Cesson-Sévigné (Ille-et-Vilaine), is so far almost perfect. The Frenchman, world No. 8, validated his place in the last four by crushing the Taiwanese Chi on Friday October 24 (21-13, 21-7). He will play for a place in the final against the Thai Kunlavut Vitidsarn, vice-world champion, Saturday October 25 at 5 p.m., opening the evening session.
The other semi-final will pit the Chinese Li Shi Feng, seeded n°4, and the Dane Anders Antonsen, who eliminated the legend Victor Axelsen.
In the mixed doubles table, the French Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue fell in the quarter-final against the Danes Christiansen/Boje.
Also read. Thom Gicquel: “The world medal cannot be taken away from me”
Quarter-final results
Men’s singles: Vitidsarn (Tha, n°3) bat Farhan (Indo) 21-14, 16-21, 21-8 ; C. Popov (n°8) bat Chi (Tii) 21-13, 21-7 ; Antonsen (And, n°2) Axelsen bat 21-15, 17-21, 21-12 ; Lis (Chi, n°4) stones of 21-18, 15-21, 21-17.
Simple dames : Chen (Chi, n°5) bat Yamaguchi (Jap, n°3) 21-14, 16-21, 21-10 ; An (Cor, n°1) bat Gao (Chi) 17-21, 21-11, 21-18 ; Wang (Chi, n°2) bat Kim (Cor) 22-20, 21-18 ; Han (Chi, n°4) bat Miyazaki (Jap) 21-7, 14-21, 23-21.
Men’s doubles: Chia/Soh (Mal, n°2) battent Gutama/Isfahani (Indo) 21-19, 16-21, 21-19; Alfian/Fikri (Indo, n°8) battent Arif/Yap (Mal) 21-14, 24-22; Kim/Seo (Cor, n°1) battent Man/Tee (Mal, n°7) 18-21, 21-14, 21-10 ; Astrup/Rasmussen (Dan, n°5) battent Goh/Izzuddin (Mal, n°3) 21-14, 17-21, 25-23.
Double dames : Itsgarashi/Shida (Jap) battent Bake/Lee (Cor, n°6), 21-16, 10-8 has. ; Fukushima/Matsumoto (Jap, n°7) battent Iwana/Nakanashi (Jap, n°4) 21-14, 21-10 ; Li/Lu (Chi, n°8) battent Kim/Cong (Cor, n°3) 21-15, 21-14 ; Chen/Jia (Chi, n°5) battent Tan/Thinaah (Mal, n°2) 21-16, 21-16.
Mixed doubles: Tang/Tse (HgK, n°6) battent Chen/Toh, n°4) 21-9, 21-18 ; Feng/Parent (Chi, n°2) battent Goh/Lai (Mal, n°8) 21-18, 21-16 ; Puavarankuroh/Paewsampran (Tha, n°3) battent Midorikawa / Saito (Saction, n°7) 21-16, 21-15 ; Christiann/Boje (Dan) batent Gicquel/Delrue (n°5) 21-16, 21-18.
Semi-final posters
Christo Popov will face Kunlavut Vitidsarn at 5 p.m., opening the evening session.
Men’s singles: Vitidsarn (Tha, n°3) – C. Popov (n°8) ; Li (Chi, n°4) – Antonsen (Dan, n°2).
Simple dames : An (Cor, n°1) – Chen (Chi, n°5) ; Han (Chi, n°4) – Wang (Chi, n°2).
Men’s doubles: Kim/Seo (Cor, n°1) – Astrup/Rasmussen (Dan, n°5) ; Alfian/Fikri (Indo, n°8) – Chia/Soh (Mal, n°2).
Double dames : Fukushima/Matsumoto (Jap, n°7) – Igarashi/Shida (Jap); Li/Luo (Chi, n°8) – Chen/Jia (Chi, n°5).
Mixed doubles: Christiansen/Boje (Dan) – Paeewsalukroh/Paewsamprah (a good, n°3) ; Tang/Tse (HgK, n°6) – Feng/Huang (Chi, n°2).
