The Habs, sparkling two weeks ago during the World Tour Finals, lost in the first round of the Asian tournament against Lee Cheuk Yiu.
Certainly not the expected start to the year. Two weeks after his historic coronation at the World Tour Finals, Frenchman Christo Popov, the new headliner of world badminton, fell as soon as he entered the first round of the Malaysian Open, a Super 1000 ranked competition.
Popov lost to Hong Kong’s Lee Cheuk Yiu, 18th in the world, in four sets (21-13, 21-19-21, 21-23). At the end of a tight match between the two protagonists, it was ultimately the 23-year-old Habs, taken by the intensity of the Hong Kong player, who saw his journey come to an end. There is still a chance to shine for the now seventh player in the world, who will try to go further with his brother Toma Junior – also out from the start – in doubles. He will play singles again next week in India.
