This Tuesday, April 12 at the beginning of the afternoon, Badminton Europe published the tables of the European championships, of which France expects a lot, with real chances of medals in certain tables. even… all of them. Analysis.
The first observation is the bad luck (or not) of Alex Lanier, who, for his very first European tournament among seniors and benefiting from an invitation (Wild Card) from Badminton Europe, finds himself confronted in the first round against to… Viktor Axelsen, the big favorite for the title. The tricolor, also decorated (twice) at the gala of the European institution in Malta this weekend will therefore be opposed to the Danish giant, world number 1 since his second title at All England. With his 144th place, the player from Dives-sur Mer will be able to boldly play his luck, without pressure and gain as much experience as he can, or even create a huge surprise for their first meeting.
The simple man will see 4 singles players among the tricolors – for the benefit of players who still benefit from the frozen world rankings without necessarily much consistency with the levels offered – here, Christo Popov who is one of the fittest tricolors, double champion of France, whose classification will not allow him to line up. So much the better for veterans Thomas Rouxel and Brice Leverdez, who will be there. The first will face the Belgian Carragi in the first round, The second, TDS6, has a good table until the quarters where a pitched battle is looming against another experienced player, Marc Caljouw. The nine-time champion of France could well get a charm with such a table – beware of Koljonen all the same. Toma Popov Jr, he, crowned with a second title at the Orleans Masters, arrives at the competition full of confidence. Logically, if he wins against the Portuguese Atilano, he should be opposed to the Swede Burestedt, then to the Dane Vittinghus for a place in the semis… where the other big favorite would be waiting for him, Anders Antonisen. Everything is possible, therefore, for the Blues, who can absolutely go for a bronze medal or even more on a good day.
The matches of the Blues in ssimple man:
Alex Lanier (144) Vs Victor Axelsen (DAN, 1). – Face to face: 0/0
Thomas Rouxel (41) Vs Julien Carragi (BEL, 130). – Face a face : 0/0
Brice Leverdez (39) Vs Luka Wraber (AUT, 87) – Face a face : 5/1
Toma Popov Jr (28) Vs Bernardo Atilano (BY, 138) – Face a face : 2/0
As a single lady, the draw is not the easiest for our three representatives. Marie Batomene takes the biggest chunk from the start of the competition, with Line Kjaersfeldt as the first opponent. The Dane is in lack of competition, and the player from Arras will have her say, even if this part of the table seems extremely complicated with Carolina Marin who will be making her comeback on the international scene for many months.
Léonice Huet will play the winner of Popovska / Redfearn, before, in the event of victory, a more difficult third round without doubt against the young Line Christophersen.
Qi Xuefei is exempt from the first round, but will have to be wary of either Martina Repsika or Turkey’s Emirbag. With, for the continuation, the German Yvonne Li. The neo-Bretonne will have to be in top form to get a medal in Madrid.
Blue games in simple dame :
Marie Batomene (62) Vs Line Kjaersfeldt (DAN, 32). – Face to face: 0/0
Leonice Huet – BYE
Qi Xuefei – BYE
Men’s Doubles Sides, the Popov brothers will be the favorites in the first part of the table with the Danes Astrup/Ramsussen, whom they should logically meet in the semi-finals – be careful all the same on their way to the Scots Dunn/Hall, or even to the tricolors Corvée/Labar, who also have a good part to play. Fabien Delrue and William Villeger are TDS7 and relatively protected until the quarter-finals, where the Germans Lamsfuss/Seidel, serious candidates for the title, should be waiting for them.
The matches of the Blues in double male :
Popov/Popov – BYE
Labar/Corvée (53) Vs Rusey/Stoinov (BUL, 169) – Face a face : 1/0
Delrue/Villeger (42) Vs Temereas/Ioannou (CHY, 270) – Face a face : 0/0
Two blue pairs competing in women’s doubles only, with, for the first – Flavie Vallet and Emilie Vercelot, a rather catastrophic draw: the Spaniards Azurmendi/Corralès (Flavie will find his club partner in Chambly in passing) in the first round, and, in case of victory, the Bulgarian big favorites Stefani and Gabriella Stoeva on their way to the second round. A little better for Anne Tran and Margot Lambert, who will find in the first round a pair against whom they had lost (by little) in Orleans, the Scottish Macpherson / Torrance. But beware, the winner of this match should logically go to the quarterfinals, where they should find the Danes Fruegaard / Tyghesen, who have not played for a very long time at a high level. The hope of a medal is therefore quite possible.
The matches of the Blues in double dame :
Vallet/Vercelot (122) Vs Azurmendi/Corrales (ESP, 53) – Face to face: 0/0
Tran/Lambert (63) Vs TMacpherson/Torrance (ECO, 41) – Face to face: 0/1
In mixed, finally, a flagship category for a few years with the Blues, not much luck either for Anne Tran and William Villeger, who, in all likelihood, should face the seeded 1 of the table, the English Ellis / Smith in the second round. The little extra for the tricolors is that they will have tried on the courts of Madrid against a pair of Slovenians as their first confrontation, while the British will make their entry into the running in the second round. How to pick them cold? Finally, of course, our young troublemakers Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue, who skipped Orleans, precisely to prepare – among other things – for this European deadline. They are seeded 2, at the very bottom of the table, with a BYE in the first round and a probably very tricky match in the second, against probably the Germans Efler / Janssen, with, we remember their confrontation with All England, a just victory for the tricolor in three sets. Be careful, therefore. But the medal is clearly a sensible goal. Gold, not at all unthinkable.
The matches of the Blues in mixed doubles :
Villeger / Tran (72) Vs Ivancic / Polanc (SLO, 133) – Face to face: 0/0
Gicquel/Delrue (10) – BYE
The good news is that you can follow all this live, including our reporter live from Madrid, and LIVE photos also on Badzine.
Photos : Badmintonphoto
