French badminton players Christo Popov, Toma Junior Popov, Alex Lanier, Thom Gicquel, and Delphine Delrue return to the court at the Arena Grand Paris in Tremblay-en-France for the round of 16 at the Yonex Internationaux de France.

Arena Grand Paris Hosts Thursday Round of 16 Showdowns

Play gets underway at the Arena Grand Paris as home favorites navigate a demanding schedule of eighth-finals matches. Christo Popov opens the French campaign on Court 1 at 12:50 local time facing Denmark’s Rasmus Gemke. The Frenchman carries a 2–0 head-to-head record this year against the 24th-ranked Dane into their qualifier.

Following that match at 13:40, Toma Junior Popov steps onto Court 1 to meet Singapore’s Jia Heng Teh. The Frenchman arrives following an opening upset against world number one Kunlavut Vitidsarn earlier in the week. Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue take the court at 14:30 to face Taipei’s Wu Hsuan-Yi and Yang Chu Yun for a spot in the next round.

Lanier and Popov Brothers Headline Afternoon Sessions

Fresh off a Super 750 title victory in Denmark, Alex Lanier plays Thailand’s Panitchaphon Teeraratsakul at 15:20. Lanier advanced past Hong Kong’s Jason Gunawan 21–19, 21–16 on Wednesday despite fatigue from his recent title run. Action concludes for the French singles and doubles hopefuls at 18:40 when Christo and Toma Junior Popov face Indonesia’s Leo Rolly Carnando and Daniel Marthin in the men’s doubles draw after eliminating an Indian pair from the top five rankings.

Tournament organizers note that match times remain indicative and depend on the duration of preceding encounters. Viewers can follow live broadcasts via L’Équipe Live for continuous Court 1 coverage and on the main L’Équipe television channel starting at 13:00. Real-time scoring updates remain available through the Badminton World Federation digital platforms.

Wednesday Results Shape Thursday Lineups

Wednesday’s second day of competition set up Thursday’s clashes with mixed outcomes for the French delegation. Christo Popov defeated compatriot Arnaud Merkle 21–17, 21–7 in an all-French opening match, pulling away in the second set after a tightly contested opener. In women’s doubles, Margot Lambert and Camille Pognante exited the tournament against Malaysia’s Ong Xin Yee and Carmen Ting with an 11–21, 12–21 defeat, marking Lambert’s return to competition following a six-month absence.

Thursday’s winners advance to the tournament quarterfinals scheduled ahead of the weekend rounds at the Arena Grand Paris.