Tag: Alex LANIER

HYLO Open: Opportunity Beckons for Denmark’s Second Seeds
Rasmus Kjær and Frederik Søgaard of Denmark are aiming to solidify their path to the HSBC BWF World Tour Finals 2024 as the second-seeded men’s doubles pair enters the Hylo Open 2024. Currently ranked No.10 in the HSBC Race to Finals, they must secure a top-seven finish to qualify, with reigning Olympic champions Lee Yang and Wang Chi-Lin already guaranteed a spot in the finals among the top eight.
Kjær and Søgaard are trailing Man Wei Chong and Tee Kai Wun by 8,620 points, yet remain hopeful that strong performances at the Hylo Open and the last two qualifying events—the Kumamoto Masters Japan and Li-Ning China Masters—will help close the gap. Having reached two semifinals and two quarterfinals this season, they’re looking for another deep run in Saarbrücken to boost their standing.
Still, they face close competition. Pairs like Aaron Chia/Soh Wooi Yik and Takuro Hoki/Yugo Kobayashi, both with fewer than 10 events on record, have the potential to gain points quickly and surpass the Danish duo. Kjær and Søgaard realize the importance of maximizing this limited opportunity.
Withdrawals
Alex Lanier (France), who has had an impressive season, is one of four players who have withdrawn from the men’s singles competition, alongside Arnaud Merkle (France), Markus Barth (Norway), and Fabio Caponio (Italy). In men’s doubles, Robert Cybulski/Szymon Slepecki of Poland withdrew, as did two pairs in mixed doubles: Robert Cybulski/Kornelia Marczak (Poland) and Nicolas Franconville/Aline Muller (Switzerland).
Rasmus KJÆR
October 30, 2024
Thrilling Performances on Denmark Open Opening Day
The exciting first day of the Denmark Open is nearing its conclusion, with spectators treated to thrilling, high-quality badminton action. Many European players participated, and several have already advanced to Thursday’s second round.
The French mixed doubles pair Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue were on the verge of elimination after losing the first set and trailing 19-14 in the second. They then fell behind 20-17 in the second game but made a fierce comeback with nothing to lose, which was exactly what they needed to turn the match around. You can watch their full interview on Badminton Europe’s YouTube channel.
Mia Blichfeldt also secured a much-needed victory—her first win since the Olympics and her first under coach Popov. Alex Lanier and Viktor Axelsen both won their first matches in straight sets and are set to face off on Thursday for the first time since 2022.
Alexandra Bøje and Robin Tabeling made their debut as new partners, defeating Germany’s Jones Ralfy Jansen and Nhan Tuan Phuong with a convincing 21-11, 21-14 victory. Another relatively new pair, Jesper Toft and Amalie Magelund, impressed by defeating the strong Thai duo Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai 21-19, 13-21, 21-12. In the next round, they will face Spain’s Rubén García and Lucía Rodríguez.
In addition to these results, several other European players have secured spots in Thursday’s second round.
Wednesday’s schedule is packed with more European stars. Germany’s Yvonne Li will face the 2017 champion Ratchanok Intanon, while Christo Popov will challenge the in-form seventh seed Lee Zii Jia. His brother Toma Junior Popov has a tough first-round match against world No. 3 Anders Antonsen. The Popov brothers also face a challenge in doubles, where they will meet the world No. 2 pair Anders Skaarup Rasmussen and Kim Astrup.
Additionally, the energetic British pair Ben Lane and Sean Vendy will face tough competition against Malaysia’s Ong Yew Sin and Teo Ee Yi.
Viktor Axelsen
October 16, 2024
Lane/Vendy, Astrup/Rasmussen Keep Europe’s Hopes Alive
The Round of 16 at the CLASH ROYALE Arctic Open 2024, powered by YONEX, proved difficult for most European players, with only two doubles pairs and one singles player advancing to the quarterfinals.
Despite the tough day, exciting matchups are set for tomorrow.
Alex Lanier of France faced Nhat Nguyen from Ireland in the only all-European clash of the day. After a tight 24-22 first game, Lanier dominated the second with a 21-9 victory. He will now challenge Chou Tien Chen from Chinese Taipei, whom he previously defeated at the Japan Open.
In men’s doubles, Danish pair Kim Astrup/Anders Skaarup Rasmussen battled Indonesia’s Mohammad Ahsan/Hendra Setiawan, winning a three-game thriller 21-13, 13-21, 21-9.
The English duo of Ben Lane/Sean Vendy also secured their spot in the quarterfinals after a commanding 21-13, 21-8 victory over Malaysia’s third seeds Aaron Chia/Soh Wooi Yik.
Nhat NGUYEN
Alex LANIER
October 15, 2024
Lanier Shines in Arctic Open’s First Round
Many European players faced early exits on the second day of the CLASH ROYALE Arctic Open 2024, but the highlight was an exhilarating all-European clash between top seed Anders Antonsen and French sensation Alex Lanier.
Ranked third in the world, Antonsen had previously lost to Lanier, who triumphed over him at the Orléans Masters last year. At just 19 years old, Lanier has been making significant strides not only in Europe but globally, competing against some of the elite players.
“It’s always a joy to play against Anders. He’s someone I’ve looked up to since I was young, and I still watch him closely. He’s incredibly clever on the court and adapts well,” expressed Lanier, reflecting on his admiration for the Dane.
In a thrilling three-game match, Lanier managed to overcome Antonsen with scores of 18-21, 21-18, 21-18. However, he was critical of his performance post-match, stating, “I can’t say I played my best today. Honestly, I felt a bit frustrated. Some of my strokes weren’t up to the quality I aim for.”
Lanier candidly discussed the mental hurdles he encountered during the game. “I’m glad I continued to fight with my coach. We tried a few strategies to help me relax and find my rhythm.”
Addressing his frustration, Lanier emphasized it stemmed more from his own game than from Antonsen’s tactics. “I think my frustration was more about my own performance and style rather than what Anders was doing.”
Looking back on his victory, Lanier felt a sense of affirmation. “I can beat the best player. Even if I’m not at my best, I can compete at that level. I’m proud to have won this match despite not being in top form.”
With the first round complete, Lanier is focused on his next steps: “I’m taking it one match at a time. That’s the most important thing at this level. I’m not fixated on reaching the semifinals or finals. My goal is to play my best and execute my game plan on court. We’ll see how it goes from there.”
Tomorrow, he will face Nhat Nguyen from Ireland, who advanced from the qualifying rounds and delivered a remarkable performance against Japan’s Takuma Obayashi. They have only faced each other once before at the Irish Open last year, where Nguyen emerged victorious in straight games. However, it will be a tougher challenge for the Irishman this time, given Lanier’s recent form.
Anders Antonsen
Alex LANIER
October 15, 2024
Alex LANIER
Character Introduction
Alex Lanier (French: Alex Lanier, born January 26, 2005) is a French male badminton player from Caen, France.
Alex began playing badminton at the age of 3 and later joined the Coastal Diving Badminton Club. In 2019, he moved to a club in Strasbourg. In 2020, at the age of 15, Alex joined the French National Sports Institute.
In 2021, at the age of 16, Alex won his first adult international title by defeating B.R. Sangiuls in the final of the Lithuanian International. He followed this with a runner-up finish at the Latvian International and a second title at the Italian International.
In 2022, Alex won the Estonian International. In May of that year, he represented France at the Thomas Cup. In August, he won the European Youth Badminton Championships in men’s singles. In October, he claimed the BWF World Tour title by defeating Japan’s Takuma Obayashi in the final of the Canadian Open, becoming the youngest-ever winner of a BWF World Tour event at 17 years old.
In August 2024, Lanier competed in the Japan Open held in Yokohama. Ranked 29th in the world, he defeated top players such as Lee Zii Jia and Shi Yuqi to reach the final, where he won the title by beating Chou Tien-chen 21-17, 22-20, claiming his first Super 750 event victory.
Equipment Used
ASTROX 99；SHB65Z3；10505EX；
Major Achievement
- 2024 Japan Open Men’s Singles Champion
- 2024 Canadian Open Men’s Singles Runner-Up
- 2024 European Badminton Championships Men’s Team Runner-Up
- 2023 Siedem Mody International Men’s Singles Semi-Finalist
- 2023 Hilo Badminton Open Men’s Singles Semi-Finalist
- 2023 World Junior Badminton Championships Men’s Singles Bronze Medalist
- 2023 Polish Badminton Open Men’s Singles Champion
- 2023 European Badminton Championships Mixed Team Runner-Up
- 2022 Canadian Open Men’s Singles Champion
- 2023 Estonian International Men’s Singles Runner-Up
- 2022 European Youth Badminton Championships Men’s Singles Champion
- 2022 European Youth Badminton Championships Mixed Team Runner-Up
- 2021 Latvian International Men’s Singles Runner-Up
- 2022 Estonian International Men’s Singles Champion
- 2021 Estonian International Men’s Singles Champion
- 2021 Italian International Men’s Singles Champion
- 2021 Lithuanian International Men’s Singles Champion
September 12, 2024
Shi Yuqi: The Pain is Unbearable！
In today’s quarterfinals of the 2024 Korea Open Badminton Championships, men’s singles top seed Shi Yuqi was defeated by Lee Cheuk Yiu with a score of 13-21, 15-21. Meanwhile, Li Shifeng lost to Taipei’s Lee Chia-hao 14-21, 18-21, leaving Lu Guangzu as the only Chinese men’s singles player to advance to the semifinals. Quietly, the burden and expectations of being the next in line to lead China’s men’s singles seem to have spread like a fog.
At his peak, Shi Yuqi was able to compete on par with Lin Dan, Kento Momota, and Viktor Axelsen. However, during the 2019 Indonesia Open, he sprained his ankle in a match against Anders Antonsen. The ankle injury swept through his world like a storm, and the surgery and long recovery journey felt like a trek through a desert, with his performance fluctuating as he searched for a return to form.
Earlier this year, Shi Yuqi seemed to be experiencing a resurgence in his career, winning multiple championships. However, in the Olympic men’s singles quarterfinals, he was defeated 0-2 by Thailand’s Kunlavut Vitidsarn. Li Shifeng, who won the gold at the Hangzhou Asian Games, also performed poorly, being eliminated in the round of 16. This marked the first time since the 2004 Athens Olympics that no Chinese men’s singles player reached the semifinals.
The defeat at the Olympics cast a shadow over Shi Yuqi’s mindset. Last week at the Japan Open, he suffered a shocking loss to French rising star Toma Junior Popov, ranked only 29th in the world, shattering his dream of reaching the semifinals. This week, the quarterfinals once again proved to be an insurmountable barrier, causing his mental balance to collapse entirely, as if lost in a sea of people, with no direction forward.
In an interview after today’s match, Shi Yuqi revealed thoughts of giving up, saying, “My physical condition was really bad today, and I was in a lot of pain. I’ve been enduring this for about four or five years now, and today I just broke down a bit. I don’t want to endure it anymore. After my surgery, I encountered many issues, with new injuries repeatedly appearing. I kept pushing through to play in the Olympics, but my goal wasn’t very clear, and I was quite confused, with my mindset not being in a good place.”
Currently, the Chinese men’s singles team lacks a leading figure. If Shi Yuqi truly decides to give up, the team will face an unprecedented challenge in the near future.
August 30, 2024