Christo Popov did his Paris 2024 Olympic Games qualification chances a world of good as he won his first title on the HSBC BWF World Tour at the YONEX German Open 2024.

The left-handed Frenchman prevailed over Rasmus Gemke in a surprisingly one-sided final, 21-17 21-16, to earn 7,000 points. Christo is currently at No.27 in the World Rankings, just two places behind the highest-ranked Frenchman, his older brother Toma Junior.

For Mia Blichfeldt too the title could not have come at a better time. Blichfeldt, who is a couple of spots behind her teammate Line Kjaersfeldt in the Race to Paris, won her first World Tour title in five years.

Blichfeldt’s last top-of-the-podium finish was at the European Games in June 2019, but her last World Tour title was the Barcelona Spain Masters in February 2019.

Blichfeldt was in control all the way against Vietnam’s Nguyen Thuy Linh, taking just 35 minutes to close out the final 21-11 21-9.

Other Highlights

Chinese pair Li Yi Jing and Luo Xu Min also achieved their World Tour breakthrough title with a hard-fought 21-7 13-21 21-18 result over Gabriela Stoeva/Stefani Stoeva. The Chinese, who fell in the final of the Thailand Masters in February, are currently the fifth-highest Chinese at No.22.

The closest match of the day was men’s doubles, with Lee Jhe-Huei/Yang Po-Hsuan edging He Ji Ting/Ren Xiang Yu in a nail-biting contest at 15-21 23-21 23-21. The Chinese Taipei pair had a comfortable lead in the second game but the Chinese caught up with them and even held match point before Lee/Yang turned it around.

In mixed doubles Tang Chun Man/Tse Ying Suet won their first title of the season, beating second seeds Kim Won Ho/Jeong Na Eun 21-13 21-19.

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