Orléans Masters: Mixed Start for French Contingent

Orléans, France – The Orleans Masters 2026 presented by VICTOR is underway, and the opening day brought a mix of fortunes for the home crowd. While some French players advanced with confidence, others faced early exits at the BWF World Tour Super 300 event. The tournament, a key stop on the badminton calendar, is drawing strong competition from across the globe, and the French players are looking to capitalize on home advantage.

Men’s Singles: Lanier and Popov Advance, Roy Falls Short

Defending champion Alex LANIER (seeded No. 2) began his title defense strongly, defeating compatriot Arnaud MERKLE in straight sets, 21-13, 21-16. Lanier, ranked No. 10, will now face Thailand’s Panitchaphon TEERARATSAKUL (No. 29) in the round of 16 – a first-time meeting for the two players.

Also enjoying success in the men’s singles draw was Toma Junior POPOV (No. 16), who lived up to his seeding as the No. 4 player, defeating China’s ZHU Xuan Chen (No. 68) 21-17, 21-13. Popov will next face WANG Tzu Wei (No. 34, Chinese Taipei) as he aims to reach the quarter-finals.

However, it wasn’t all positive news for the French men. Young Enogat ROY, who battled through the qualification rounds, unfortunately fell to Japan’s Yudai OKIMOTO (No. 39) 13-21, 17-21 despite a spirited performance.

Women’s Singles: No French Representation Remains

The women’s singles draw saw disappointment for France, as Anna TATRANOVA (No. 105) was unable to overcome the challenge posed by the No. 6 seed, Natsuki Nidaira of Japan. Despite a close second set, Tatranova lost 12-21, 20-22, meaning there are no remaining French players in the women’s singles competition.

Men’s Doubles: French Pairs Shine

The men’s doubles event proved to be a bright spot for the French team. The in-form duo of Julien MAIO and William VILLEGER (No. 82) staged a remarkable comeback to defeat Thailand’s Peeratchai SUKPHUN and Pakkapon TEERARATSAKUL (No. 75) 17-21, 25-23, 21-13. They will now face HU/LIN (No. 52, China) in the round of 16.

Another French pair, Baptiste LABARTHE and Quentin RONGET (No. 136), also secured a place in the next round, overcoming Belgium’s Iljo VAN DELSEN and Yaro VAN DELSEN (No. 131) 20-22, 21-19, 21-13 in a thrilling match. Their next challenge will be a tough one, facing the No. 3 seeds. Maël CATTOEN and Lucas RENOIR (No. 46) will enter the competition directly in the round of 16, facing the No. 2 seeds from Indonesia, INDRA/JOAQUIN (No. 13).

Women’s Doubles: Mixed Results for French Teams

In women’s doubles, the young pairing of Emmy GUILBARD and Anouk NAMBOT (No. 152) were defeated by Malaysia’s ONG Xin Yee and Carmen TING (No. 25) 7-21, 10-21. However, Margot LAMBERT and Camille POGNANTE (No. 18) received a bye through to the round of 16 due to their opponents’ withdrawal and will face a Turkish pairing, ERCETIN/INCI (No. 33).

Mixed Doubles: Top Seeds Advance, One French Pair Eliminated

The top seeds in mixed doubles, Thom GICQUEL and Delphine DELRUE (No. 5), demonstrated their dominance, convincingly defeating Taipei’s CHEN Cheng Kuan and HSU Yin-Hui (No. 27) 21-17, 21-10. They will next face India’s KAPOOR/GADDE (No. 39). Unfortunately, Natan BEGGA and Elsa JACOB (No. 82) were eliminated after a narrow defeat to the Netherlands’ Brian WASSINK and Debora JILLE (No. 76) 20-22, 17-21.

Fans can follow the French players’ progress live via streaming on BWF TV and find complete results on bwfbadminton.com.

Looking Ahead: Round of 16 Schedule

Here’s the schedule for the French players competing in the round of 16 (times are estimated):

• 12:50: Baptiste LABARTHE/Quentin RONGET
• 13:40: Julien MAIO/William VILLEGER
• 13:50: Aymeric TORES (Men’s Singles)
• 14:30: Margot LAMBERT/Camille POGNANTE
• 15:20: Maël CATTOEN/Lucas RENOIR
• 17:00: Toma Junior POPOV (Men’s Singles)
• 18:40: Thom GICQUEL/Delphine DELRUE
• 19:30: Alex LANIER (Men’s Singles)

The Orleans Masters continues to deliver exciting badminton action, and the French players will be looking to build on their initial performances as the tournament progresses. Stay tuned for further updates.