2023 world champion, 2024 Olympic vice-champion, quick winner of the Indonesian Cristie, this Wednesday, during the first day of these World Tour Finals (21-10, 21-14). The track record and experience necessarily favored world No.2 Kunlavut Vitidsarn before challenging Christo Popov.
But in these WTFs, the hierarchy doesn’t make much sense between the eight best players of the year. No matter the opponent, it’s high level on the court, in strategy, in minds. Like the performance of the Japanese Naraoka in Pool B, everyone has a chance. The Provençal also grabbed them in Pool A.
After the world No.3, the Fosséen offered himself the current world No.2 at the BWF, inflating his personal stats a little more against the very best players in the world (21-11, 18-21, 21-10). A victory against the former world No.1 which is almost synonymous with qualification for the semi-finals. A victory for Antonsen against Christie, a little later this Thursday, would already seal the qualification of the young Frenchman for the last four of the competition.
Third consecutive success against Vitidsarn
An incredible performance reflecting his dynamic against Vitidsarn in his career. This Thursday, he signed a first round in complete control for the Fosséen who dictated his law to the Thai. Like the last two meetings between the two men (already in China and during the IFB with two victories in straight sets), it was Christo Popov who dominated the exchanges. The Thai and world No.2 was left without a solution for a first round which quickly fell into the hands of the Provençal (11-5, 15-7, 21-11).
In the second, Christo was on par with the 2023 world champion for a long time. Everything was going to be decided in the money-time. A period poorly negotiated by Christo Popov who missed the last two points of the set: an attack outside and another in the net synonymous with the third set (18-21). Like Wednesday in the match won against Antonsen, Christo Popov demonstrated that he knew how to handle this kind of pressure.
More serene and patient on the court, he once again had control of the set to never tremble at the outcome (13-8, 19-9, 21-10). The only scenario which could now deprive Fosseen of the semi-final, three players with two victories after the group stage. Everything would come down to the point average which he still managed against Vitidsarn. It can count.
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