Hangzhou, China : Christo Popov etched his name into badminton history on Saturday after becoming the first French player to reach the final of the HSBC BWF World Tour Finals, delivering a commanding semifinal performance in Hangzhou.
The world No. 8 defeated Japan’s Kodai Naraoka 21-19, 21-8, using sharp pace and attacking precision to seal his maiden World Tour Finals final appearance. It was Popov’s first straight-games win of the week and his third final of the 2025 season, following runner-up finishes at the YONEX Swiss Open and YONEX French Open.
Reflecting on his semifinal victory, Popov admitted the physical challenge before the match.
“Waking up this morning I was feeling very tired,” Popov said, as quoted by BWF. “The first game was very important… winning that made me confident for the second game, and I got more aggressive.”
Popov described the milestone as a completely new experience, highlighting his satisfaction at competing pain-free after a long absence from competition.
“Just to participate was a new thing, so every day is a new thing for me,” he added. “Now I’m into the final, so am happy.”
In other semifinal highlights, Yuki Fukushima and Mayu Matsumoto overcame Pearly Tan and Thinaah Muralitharan 21-19, 21-13, ending a five-match losing streak against the Malaysian pair. In women’s singles, Wang Zhi Yi outlasted Thailand’s Ratchanok Intanon in three games to reach her second successive World Tour Finals final. Meanwhile, Chinese mixed doubles pair Feng Yan Zhe and Huang Dong Ping booked their 10th final of the year, continuing a remarkable run on home soil.
The HSBC BWF World Tour Finals features the world’s top eight players and pairs across disciplines and marks the conclusion of the international badminton season.
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