In the semi-finals of singles and doubles, Christo and Toma Junior dream of gold in Huelva, Spain.
Even if it is accepted that the French team will not achieve the same performance as last year when they returned from the European Championships in Horsens, Denmark with eight medals, it does not mean that this continental campaign is a failure. This Saturday, the men’s singles semi-finals will feature three French representatives looking for gold.
The defending champion, Alex Lanier, was eliminated in the quarter-finals by his compatriot Arnaud Merklé, a surprise considering Merklé will undergo hip surgery upon his return to Paris. However, Merklé, the current 36th in the world, confirmed his potential by defeating Lanier. In the other semi-final, the Popov brothers will face off, with Toma Junior defeating the Belgian Julien Carraggi and his younger brother eliminating the Danish Rasmus Gemke in the quarter-finals.
The Popov brothers will also compete in the doubles semi-final as the defending champions, after the top seeds, Kim Astrup and Anders Rasmussen, were upset in the quarters. The English pair of Alex Green and Zach Russ will be their opponents, offering them a chance for another final, as long as they do not underestimate the 91st-ranked duo.
