French badminton success is no fluke, says Christo Popov [WATCH]

KUALA LUMPUR: World No. 7 Christo Popov says the rise of French badminton is the result of a decade of patient junior development and the successful transition of young talent into the elite ranks.

Despite his early exit at the Malaysia Open on Tuesday, the World Tour Finals champion said France's presence in the world's top tier proves that long-term planning is paying dividends.

Popov failed to reach the second round after losing 21-13, 19-21, 21-23 to Hong Kong's Lee Cheuk Yiu at Axiata Arena.

"It was a good 2025 for me overall, especially the last six months," said Popov.

"But at this level, every player in the top 32 is very strong. In Super 1000 tournaments, the first round is always tricky. Being a favourite on paper means nothing."

Popov said the defeat did not detract from the progress of French men's singles.

He credited a generation of players developed five to 10 years ago, backed by structured support, as the foundation of their current success.

"Many countries have good junior players, but the hardest step is becoming an elite player," he said.

"In France, we managed to make that step. Today, we have three men's singles players in the world's top 15, and that means a lot."

France's depth is highlighted by Popov's rise and the emergence of world No. 8 Alex Lanier.

Popov noted that his development, and that of his brother Toma Junior, has occurred largely outside the national setup.

The siblings have operated independently since 2017, building their own coaching and support team.

Toma Junior also exited in the first round after losing 14-21, 21-14, 5-21 to Japan's Kento Nishimoto.

"We have been independent players since day one," said Popov.

"The team around us have improved together with us since 2017. Players and coaches have all grown, and that has raised our level as a whole."

Popov said the focus now shifts to the next tournament, where consistency remains the deciding factor.

"At this level, it's about who is better in the important moments," he added.

"Today, he was better at the end."

The Popovs' Malaysia Open campaign continues on Wednesday in the men's doubles to face Taiwan's Chen Zhi Ray-Lin Yu Chieh.