The Yonex Belgian International badminton tournament reached its decisive final stages in Nieuwpoort, marking a major milestone for the sport on the Belgian coast after two decades in Leuven, according to reports from Sporza. The high-profile competition brought international talents head-to-head with local hopefuls, though the home crowd saw its final remaining singles contender eliminated before Saturday’s championship matches.
Julien Carraggi Bows Out in the Quarterfinals
Belgium’s top-ranked men’s singles player, Julien Carraggi, entered the main draw as the tournament’s first seed. Ranked No. 44 in the world and carrying momentum as the reigning 2024 champion, Carraggi opened his campaign with straightforward victories over Poland’s Szymanowski and Germany’s Pongratz, according to Sporza’s coverage. However, his run ended in the quarterfinals against Denmark’s Ditlev Jaeger Holm, who ousted the local favorite in straight sets with scores of 21–16 and 22–20.
Carraggi’s exit marked the end of the line for the host nation’s singles contingent. As the sole Belgian man featured on the main draw table, his departure removed the last home-court hurdle for international competitors chasing the tournament crown.
Early Round Exits for Remaining Belgian Contenders
Beyond the men’s singles bracket, the rest of the Belgian delegation bowed out during the secondary stages of the competition. Clara Lassaxu exited in the second round following a defeat against Czech player Lucie Krulova. In the women’s doubles draw, the pairing of Fae Boonen and Lieke Van Parijs also saw their tournament run conclude in the second round.
These accumulated results meant that no Belgian athletes advanced to Saturday’s final slate of matches, leaving the title bouts entirely to the visiting international contenders across the men’s and women’s singles, both doubles brackets, and the mixed doubles events.
Tournament Venue Shift and Where to Watch the Finals
The transition of the Yonex Belgian International to Nieuwpoort represents a strategic relocation after a twenty-year run hosted in Leuven. According to statements attributed to Julien Carraggi by Sporza, bringing the prestigious fixture directly to the coast provides vital exposure for domestic athletes, allowing them to test their skills against high-level international competition on home soil.
Fans looking to catch the championship action can stream the finals live. Broadcast coverage for all concluding matches—spanning men’s singles, women’s singles, both doubles formats, and mixed doubles—is scheduled to run via livestream from 15:00 to 20:00 local venue time on Saturday.
