The miracle has begun. After his victory at the Japan Open in August and his semi-final at the Denmark Open last Saturday, Alex Lanier rose this Tuesday to 15th place in the world, the best ranking in history for a French badista in singles . At only 19 years old, Alex Lanier gained six places and thus overtook Toma Junior Popov, former 18th in the world, who participated in the Paris Olympic Games and who is currently in 19th place.
Lanier beat double reigning Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen last week, who retired due to illness, before reaching the semi-final of the Danish Open, a Super 750 tournament, the second level of competition on the international circuit. In August at the Super 750 tournament in Japan, the badista from Caen achieved a feat by becoming the first Frenchman and one of the youngest in history to win a competition of such importance.
“My long-term goal is to be world number 1”
Absent at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, since the French were only allowed to select one individual, Toma Junior Popov, and not selected in doubles, Lanier was able to perfect his preparation. “During the Olympics, I worked hard physically and mentally,” he explained in Japan. I didn’t like this period. But we had to go through that to be ready for this tournament. And the work paid off. »
The young man does not intend to stop there. “I think my long-term goal is to be world number 1 and win the Olympic gold medal as well as the world title,” he said. But first and foremost I prefer to concentrate on what I have to do on the court. »
Next big goal: the world championships in Paris in 2025. “I want to achieve something really huge in this tournament. I want to be one of the best players,” he announced.
