Falling the Japanese Kodai Naraoka in two sets, the Frenchman Christo Popov qualified for the final of the BWF World Tour Finals, a tournament in China which brings together the eight best badminton players of the season.
Despite “lots of positive things”, Christo Popov does not want to stop there. Winner this Saturday in his semi-final against the Japanese Kodai Naraoka (21-19, 21-8), the youngest of the Popov brothers is the first Frenchman to qualify for the final of the BWF World Tour Finals in China, an end-of-year tournament bringing together the eight best badminton players of the season.
“It was a good match, a good semi-final,” he said. “I’m happy to have won the first set which was very important. 21-19, it was complicated. A lot of things depended on that. In the second set, I had a little more confidence and a better attack. Physically, he was starting to be a little more exhausted and I was able to make the difference.”
Rest before the final on Sunday
The 23-year-old Frenchman has had a flawless performance so far in China, not losing a single group match before winning his semi-final. In the final, Christo Popov will play the winner of the match between the Chinese Shi Yu Qi, world number one, and Kunlavut Vitidsarn, a Thai who Popov has already beaten in the group.
“I’m very happy because it’s my first two sets of the competition,” continued the Habs. Before adding: “Now we have a little rest time to prepare for tomorrow’s final. There are lots of positive things.” See you this Sunday at 7 a.m. to find out if the player from Fos-sur-Mer can add this historic line to his list of achievements.
