The 23-year-old, 8e in the world rankings, achieved a double feat since he defeated the Chinese number one Shi Yu Qi, in two sets 21-19, 21-9. The day before, he had already become the first Frenchman to reach the final of this last competition of the season, bringing together the best players of the year and in which he was also participating for the first time.
“If someone had told me last week before leaving that I was going to win, it would have seemed improbable to me,” declared the champion to the French Badminton Federation.
A flawless journey
In Hangzhou, he had a perfect run, with 100% victories including successes against the Dane Anders Antonsen and the Thai Kunlavut Vitidsarn, third and second in the world respectively. All he was missing was the first one.
“Day after day, it was complicated, it took a lot of mental and physical energy. I am happy to have been able to make this a reality, in China moreover, which is a bit like one of the badminton countries”, also appreciated the Frenchman.
The seven places difference in the rankings of the BWF circuit, the international badminton circuit, were not really seen, as the native of Sofia, Bulgaria, was able to impose his game in front of the Chinese, however formidable this year.
Shi Yu Qi dethroned
Crowned world champion in Paris last summer, Shi Yu Qi has also won several major tournaments: the China, England and Malaysia Open, all belonging to the Super 1000 category, the highest level of the circuit.
But after holding on to win the first round, Popov definitely made his opponent of the day flinch by taking off to claim one of the best titles of his career. Little brother of another promising French badista, Toma Junior Popov, Christo Popov has for several years been considered a great hope in his discipline, just like Alex Lanier, with whom he occupies the top 10 in the world.
