Christo Popov advanced to the singles quarterfinals of the tournament in Vantaa, Finland, keeping his momentum alive on the BWF World Tour while his older brother Toma Junior Popov bowed out following a late-stage collapse against Japan’s Tanaka.
Vantaa Misfortune for Toma Junior Popov
Toma Junior Popov saw a promising second-set charge dissolve as he dropped a 10–21, 19–21 decision to 18th-ranked Tanaka on Thursday in the outskirts of Helsinki. After struggling with his mobility during a lopsided opening game, the elder Popov regrouped with coaching assistance from his brother Christo. He led much of the second frame before yielding the final three points to slip out of the tournament.
Chasing World Ranking Points in Finland
While the priority for the siblings in Finland remains regaining competitive rhythm ahead of upcoming Super 750 majors—specifically the Denmark Open and the French Open in Tremblay-en-France—World No. 2 Christo Popov continues his steady march through the draw. Beyond conditioning, the Popov maintains a mathematical path toward the world number-one ranking if he secures success in Vantaa, provided his main rivals do not have an excellent run. Both brothers entered the week focused on physical readiness, but only Christo remains standing in the singles bracket.
Setting Up a Clash Against Lee Zii Jia
To reach the quarterfinals, Christo Popov dispatched India's Mannepalli with a 21–14, 21–19 victory, overcoming turbulent game openings that saw him trail early before stringing together five unanswered points from a 16–19 deficit in the second set. His next opponent is Malaysia’s Lee Zii Jia, a former world number two currently ranked 56th after having fallen to 144th in December 2025. The European champion faces a restored test against the returning Malaysian on Friday.
Mixed Fortunes in the Doubles Draw
Later in the evening on the doubles court, the Popov brothers exited the tournament after a 17–21, 12–21 defeat to Denmark’s Kjaer. However, fellow Fos-sur-Mer representative William Villeger, partnering with Julien Maio, sustained his strong form following a Wednesday upset over eighth-ranked Chinese pair Hu-Lin. Villeger and Maio booked their quarterfinal ticket by overcoming Scotland’s Dunn/Pringle 21–18, 21–19, setting up a Friday fixture against Japanese second seeds Hoki and Kobayashi.
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