Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany – The Yonex German Open Badminton tournament witnessed a strong showing from French athletes on Friday, as several players advanced to the semifinals. The day’s quarterfinal matches saw impressive performances across multiple disciplines, setting the stage for exciting contests on Saturday.
Leading the charge was Toma Junior Popov, the reigning European silver medalist, who battled through a grueling three-game match against Japan’s Minoru Koga to secure his spot in the men’s singles semifinals. Shortly after, his younger brother, Christo Popov, joined him in the final four, defeating 2023 tournament winner Ng Ka Long Angus of Hong Kong in straight sets. The French success continued into the evening as the men’s doubles pair of Julien Maio and William Villeger overcame Fang-Chih Lee and Fang-Jen Lee of Taiwan in a tight three-game encounter.
Men’s Singles: A French Affair in the Semifinals
The Popov brothers’ success has positioned France as a force to be reckoned with in the men’s singles competition. Christo Popov, the top seed, expressed relief after his victory. “I’m very relieved, those were two tough games. I knew it would be a hard match, and I felt every rally in my legs at the end. So I’m very happy to have won in two games. The atmosphere was very nice! It’s great that we are both in the semifinals. My brother and I will now try to recover as much as possible,” he said, according to tournament reports. Christo Popov previously won the title at the HSBC BWF World Tour Super 300 event in 2024.
Toma Junior Popov echoed the sentiment, stating, “I’m happy and relieved. We pushed each other to the limit. It’s very nice to play here.”
On Saturday, February 28, 2026, Christo Popov will face Lin Chun-Yi of Taiwan in the semifinals, while Toma Junior Popov will take on his fellow countryman, Chi Yu Jen, also of Taiwan, for a chance to reach the final. This sets up an intriguing prospect of a potential all-French final in the men’s singles event.
Women’s Singles: Chinese Dominance
The women’s singles competition is shaping up to be a showcase of Chinese talent. Second-ranked Wang Zhi Yi remains in contention for the title, having secured a semifinal berth against Japan’s Tomoka Miyazaki. The other semifinal will feature an all-Chinese affair, with fifth-ranked Han Yue facing Han Qian Xi, currently ranked 37th by the Badminton World Federation (BWF).
Men’s Doubles: French Upset and a Chinese Clash
The French duo of Julien Maio and William Villeger continued their impressive run, having upset the top-seeded Malaysian pair of Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik in the round of 16. They will now face Chiu Hsiang Chieh and Wang Chi-Lin of Taiwan (ranked 11th in the world, seeded 5th) in the semifinals. The other semifinal will pit two Chinese pairs against each other: Chen Bo Yang and Liu Yi against Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang.
Women’s Doubles: Asian Players Lead the Way
The women’s doubles competition is dominated by Asian players, with the semifinals featuring Bao Li Jing and Luo Xu Min of China against Hsu Ya Ching and Sung Yu-Hsuan of Taiwan, and Li Yi Jing and Wang Yi Duo of China against Amallia Cahaya Pratiwi and Siti Fadia Silva Ramadhanti of Indonesia.
Mixed Doubles: A Blend of Asian and European Competition
In the mixed doubles, Cheng Xing and Zhang Chi of China will face Yang Po-Hsuan and Hu Ling Fang of Taiwan. The other semifinal will see Hee Yong Kai Terry and Gloria Emanuelle Widjaja of Singapore/Indonesia take on the eighth-seeded Danish pair of Mads Vestergaard and Christine Busch. Vestergaard expressed satisfaction with their performance, stating, “We are here in the semifinals for the first time and are satisfied with the level we are playing at. These have all been clear games so far, so we have been able to conserve a lot of energy for tomorrow.”
Notable Exits
Several notable players were eliminated on Friday, including Kim Astrup and Anders Skaarup Rasmussen of Denmark, the reigning World Championship bronze medalists in men’s doubles. Gabriela Stoeva and Stefani Stoeva of Bulgaria, four-time European champions in women’s doubles, also exited the tournament. Tang Chun Man and Tse Ying Suet of Hong Kong, the 2024 tournament winners, were also defeated in the mixed doubles competition.
The German Open continues to deliver thrilling badminton action, with the semifinals promising exciting matchups and a glimpse of the sport’s rising stars. The tournament, a key event on the HSBC BWF World Tour, is attracting attention from badminton fans worldwide.
The semifinals will be held on Saturday, February 28th, with the finals scheduled for Sunday, February 29th. Fans can follow the action and locate updated scores on the official Badminton World Federation website.
