ORLÉANS — French badminton fans are guaranteed a champion on home soil after Toma Junior Popov and Alex Lanier both advanced to the men’s singles final at the 2026 Orléans Masters. In women’s singles, former world champion Nozomi Okuhara also secured her place in the final after another strong performance.
The semi-finals across all five disciplines produced several exciting matches and confirmed the finalists for the BWF World Tour Super 300 event.
Popov Reaches Final After Beating Hu Zhe An
Toma Junior Popov delivered a composed performance in the semi-finals, defeating China’s Hu Zhe An in straight games 21-16, 21-14.
Popov controlled the match with patient rally construction and well-timed attacks, rarely allowing Hu to dictate the pace. The French star looked confident throughout the match and maintained control during the key mid-game rallies in both games.
The victory sends Popov into the final on home soil, where he will now face fellow Frenchman Alex Lanier in what promises to be a historic all-French final.
Alex Lanier Continues Impressive Run
France’s rising star Alex Lanier continued his impressive run by defeating Japan’s Yudai Okimoto 21-14, 21-12 in the semi-finals.
Lanier played an aggressive and fast-paced match, controlling the rallies with powerful smashes and sharp net play. His performance showed maturity beyond his years, as he kept the pressure on Okimoto from the opening points of both games.
The win sets up an all-French men’s singles final between Lanier and Popov, a significant moment for French badminton and European badminton as a whole.
Men’s Singles Semi-Final Results:
- Toma Junior Popov def. Hu Zhe An 21-16, 21-14
- Alex Lanier def. Yudai Okimoto 21-14, 21-12
Final: Toma Junior Popov vs Alex Lanier
Nozomi Okuhara Advances to Women’s Singles Final
Former world champion Nozomi Okuhara continued her strong tournament by defeating India’s Tanvi Sharma in straight games 21-9, 21-16 to reach the final.
Watch highlights of Nozomi Okuhara vs. Tanvi Sharma in the 2026 Orléans Masters semis:
Okuhara relied on her trademark defensive play and consistency, forcing long rallies and waiting for errors from her opponent. Her experience and court coverage proved too strong, especially in the second game where she controlled the tempo of the match.
Okuhara will now face Thailand’s Pitchamon Opatniputh in the final after the Thai player defeated Isharani Baruah in the other semi-final.
Women’s Singles Semi-Final Results:
- Pitchamon Opatniputh def. Isharani Baruah 21-12, 23-21
- Nozomi Okuhara def. Tanvi Sharma 21-9, 21-16
Final: Pitchamon Opatniputh vs Nozomi Okuhara
Men’s Doubles Final Lineup
China’s Hu Ke Yuan / Lin Xiang Yi advanced to the final after defeating Indonesia’s Leo Rolly Carnando / Bagas Maulana 21-19, 21-10.
Japan’s Hiroki Okamura / Kyohei Yamashita reached the final after beating Denmark’s Christian Faust Kjaer / Rasmus Kjaer 21-18, 21-19.
Men’s Doubles Final:
- Hu Ke Yuan / Lin Xiang Yi vs Hiroki Okamura / Kyohei Yamashita
Women’s Doubles Final Lineup
Japan’s Sumire Nakade / Miyu Takahashi defeated Indonesia’s Rachel Rose / Febi Setianingrum 21-10, 22-20 to reach the final.
Chinese Taipei’s Lin Chih Chun / Yang Chu Yun advanced after beating Japan’s Rui Hirokami / Sayaka Hobara 17-21, 21-18, 21-17.
Women’s Doubles Final:
- Sumire Nakade / Miyu Takahashi vs Lin Chih Chun / Yang Chu Yun
Mixed Doubles Final Lineup
Top seeds Thom Gicquel / Delphine Delrue defeated Chinese Taipei’s Liu Kuang Heng / Jheng Yu Chieh 18-21, 21-18, 21-16 to reach the final.
Denmark’s Mathias Christiansen / Alexandra Boje advanced after defeating Spain’s Ruben Garcia / Lucia Rodriguez 21-18, 14-21, 21-17.
Mixed Doubles Final:
- Thom Gicquel / Delphine Delrue vs Mathias Christiansen / Alexandra Boje
All Eyes on the Finals
The 2026 Orléans Masters finals will feature an exciting all-French men’s singles final between Toma Junior Popov and Alex Lanier, while former world champion Nozomi Okuhara will attempt to capture another title in the women’s singles final.
The finals promise high-quality badminton across all disciplines as the tournament reaches its conclusion.
Stay tuned for more badminton news, match results, and tournament coverage from the world of badminton.
