Another Final for Christo POPOV!

After a slow start, the Frenchman quickly took the lead and took control of the match. Displaying his usual defensive brilliance, the French No. 1 was in excellent form. Excelling in every aspect of the game, he seemed almost untouchable. Even when put under pressure, he managed to turn rallies in his favor and win the points. Playing at his best, he comfortably secured the first set, 21–14. 

Full of confidence and backed by the home crowd at the Arena Grand Paris, Christo maintained his momentum, extending his lead as much as possible until 11. Few could have anticipated such a commanding performance from the Frenchman. The Chinese player struggled to find an answer, making a series of mistakes as Christo continued to dominate. With quicker footwork, greater precision, and more creative shot-making, the world No. 3 remained in control throughout, securing a convincing 21–14, 21–10 victory. 

Christo POPOV: “I played well at the important points, and my opponent made quite a few mistakes. There were some long rallies and some very short ones, too. I was able to conserve quite a bit of energy between points, but I’m glad I won in two sets. It’s the little details that help us win in the end. […] Of course, I’d love to be able to say one day that I was world No. 1, but tomorrow’s goal is, above all, to win the French Open! Last year, I wasn’t able to play the match I wanted to. Tomorrow will be a different match—it’ll be a Christo who fights for every point, and I, for one, won’t let up.” 

Unfortunately, things didn’t go quite as smoothly for Alex LANIER (No. 5), who struggled against rising Indonesian talent Mohammad Zaki UBAIDILLAH (No. 28), a finalist at the 2025 World Junior Championships. Forced to play catch-up throughout the opening set, the Frenchman struggled to match the intense pace set by his opponent. The fatigue accumulated over the past two weeks took its toll on the reigning world champion, who conceded the first set 16–21. 

Showing greater control, particularly at the net, in the second set, the Frenchman remained neck and neck until the interval; however, drawing on his experience, he pulled ahead at the right moment to take the second set 21–16. Exhausted, the Norman player could no longer keep up the pace in the final set. Despite putting up a fight against an Indonesian player in top form, he had to concede defeat this time: 16–21, 21–16, 17–21. 

Alex LANIER: “Mentally, clearly, I made way too many errors. There was a lot of frustration, too. I wasn’t able to execute what I wanted, and at this level, you can’t play that way—making too many mistakes. I tried to hang in there and give it my all. But I’m happy with how hard I fought. […] I’m still happy to have reached the semifinals. I don’t think I played badly today.” 

Mohammad Zaki UBAIDILLAH was thrilled with this prestigious victory, while remaining focused on the upcoming final: “I’m happy, of course, but I don’t want to celebrate too soon—there’s still tomorrow, and I want to win the title.”