Christo Popov: Badminton History Made

This is a great first for a Frenchman: Christo Popov won the badminton World Tour Finals this Sunday in China, the equivalent of the Masters in tennis.

The 23-year-old, 8th in the world rankings, won in the final against Chinese No.1 Shi Yu Qi.

A resounding feat. Christo Popov dominated Shi Yu Qui (21-19, 21-9) in the final of the badminton World Tour Finals, Sunday December 21. Having already become the day before the first Frenchman to reach the final of this competition which brings together the eight best players on the planet each year, he entered the history books a little further by becoming the first Frenchman to lift the trophy. All this, from his very first participation in the masters tournament. The feat is all the more resounding as the Frenchman is in 8th place in the world rankings, while his opponent of the day occupies the top. He thus offers himself the greatest title of his career, at the age of 23.

An exceptional week

And the native of Sofia, Bulgaria, added style, by succeeding in imposing his game on his formidable opponent. He thus confirms his current form, having achieved a perfect run since his arrival in Hangzhou (China), with 100% victories including successes against the Dane Anders Antonsen and the Thai Kunlavut Vitidsarn, respectively third and second in the world. “If someone had told me last week before leaving that I was going to win, it would have seemed improbable to me”he admitted to the French Badminton Federation. “Day after day it was complicated, it took a lot of mental and physical energy. I’m happy to have been able to make this happen, in China moreover, which is a bit like one of the badminton countries”he congratulated himself again.