France’s Alex Lanier wins historic men’s singles world badminton title in New Delhi

New Delhi, August 23 — In a historic moment, Alex Lanier from France emerged victorious in the men's singles world badminton championship at New Delhi's Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, marking the first such title for a French player. The 21-year-old triumphed over Japan's Kodai Naraoka with a decisive 21-11, 21-11 scoreline, celebrating his win by jumping in joy and hugging his coach.

Hailing from parents who are professional sailors, Lanier showcased his strength and agility from the outset, leading the first game 11-9. He built upon this momentum in the second game, leading by five points and dominating the match in a span of 23 minutes through a blend of aggressive attacks and solid defense. Despite a spirited performance from world number 11 Naraoka, Lanier's fit and focused play proved too much to overcome.

This victory came after Lanier had previously defeated world number two Kunlavut Vitidsarn and Victor Lai in the semifinals. In the mixed doubles category, the French duo of Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue secured their country's first-ever world championship gold by defeating the top-seeded Chinese pair, Feng Yan Zhe and Huang Dong Ping.

Similarly, South Korea's Baek Ha-na and Lee So-hee claimed the women's doubles title by defeating the Chinese duo of Liu Shengshu and Tan Ning in a closely contested match.