Popov the Champagne: Christo ended France’s 80-year wait for a French Open men’s singles champion before becoming the nation’s first world No. 1

What their Kylian could not, their Christo did. While Mbappé missed the finish line of the Ballon d’Or race by a whisker this week, Popov ensured France had proud moments to cherish. The 24-year-old shuttler not only ended France’s wait of 80 years but also engraved his name on an ultimate milestone.

On Sunday, the Bulgaria-born shuttler became the first homegrown French player to win the men’s singles title at the French Open after Henri Pellizza’s 1946 victory. And then, on Tuesday, he became the first ever French player to become world No. 1 (across all badminton disciplines).

France’s club-based badminton structure is over a century old, but it rarely produced players capable of challenging for the major titles. That began to change after 1980, when the country began establishing national centres for performance, and Fédération Française de Badminton (FFBaD) started working with the clubs across the country. The changes could be seen after a couple of decades, but the current generation is the one endorsing the system’s effectiveness with breakthrough results.


That first stamp of approval came in August at BWF World Championships in New Delhi. Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue won France’s first-ever title in mixed doubles by defeating the world No. 1 Chinese pair of Feng Yan Zhe and Huang Dong Ping. Later that day, Alex Lanier ensured the champagne kept flowing as he took the podium as the country’s first men’s singles champion.

Popov, meanwhile, had missed on that party with first-round losses in the singles, and doubles with elder brother, Toma Junior Popov. Their father, Toma senior, played for Bulgaria before becoming coaching the national team, and mother, Tzvetomira, was a referee. This badminton family had moved to France within a year of Christo’s birth in 2002 in Sofia. By the time he turned six he had started playing competitively.

It was the BWF World Tour Finals last December where the younger Popov showed that he was more than a mere double-duty player. He had been fruitfully managing both the demanding disciplines; winning the European Championships 2025 with his brother among others. At World Tour Finals in Hangzhou, China, the slightly-built leftie proved that he was the real marathon man. His all three group matches went over 70 minutes, and he persevered to come out triumphant each time and went on to take the title.

This French Open final in Tremblay-enFrance, outer suburbs of Paris, was another long battle for Popov. Up against the younger legs of 19-year-old Indonesian, Moh. Zaki Ubaidillah, he took the first game 21-11, lost the following 14-21, and defied another comeback from across the net to take the title with 21-13.

And, then somehow seemed to owe it all to destiny! Perhaps, because he had lost in the final in the previous edition.

“Everything was scripted,” the reigning European Champion had said after giving the home shuttling fans a moment to remember. Even though he might be the kind of player who does not stand out for a particular trait or a shot, he knows best to maximise his abilities and to fight. “When you have the match in your hand, and it kind of is taken away... I fought very hard, and I think in those moments that’s what I’m best at doing,” he admitted.

The Sunday fairytale for Popov and France led to his world No. 1 crown two days later. He took the top spot in the rankings for the first time. So did France! Lanier also climbed one position to reach No. 4.

A country that regularly produces football World Cup winners, Olympic champions, and world-class athletes, having a dual presence in top 4 is a remarkable statement of French badminton’s journey. The chasm that once seemed impossible has finally been crossed. And, the likes of Popov have announced all over again that they are now more than capable to not only challenge the powerhouses that be but also dethrone them.