Gemke crashes out of French Open after thriller as Popov receives warning

Rasmus Gemke bowed out of the French Open in the round of 16 on Thursday after a thrilling three-game battle against home favourite Christo Popov, who secured a 21-18, 15-21, 21-18 victory in a match that ended in controversy.

The decisive game was overshadowed by an incident in which Popov received a yellow card after strongly protesting a line judge’s decision.

Both players entered the contest in confident mood following encouraging performances at the Denmark Open last week. Gemke had reached the quarter-finals before losing in three games to Canada’s Victor Lai, while Popov’s run ended in the semi-finals against Danish star Anders Antonsen.

Backed by a passionate home crowd in Paris, Popov made the stronger start and controlled much of the opening game. He established a commanding 17-11 advantage, leaving Gemke with a difficult task despite the Dane finding his rhythm towards the closing stages.

Popov maintained his composure to take the first game 21-18.

However, Gemke responded strongly at the start of the second game, quickly taking control and opening up a 16-8 lead. He extended the advantage to 18-10 and refused to allow the Frenchman back into contention, closing out the game 21-15 to force a deciding third game.

The final game developed into a closely contested battle, with both players enjoying spells of momentum. The score remained level at 10-10 before Popov produced a decisive six-point run, giving him a crucial advantage in the closing stages.

The drama intensified when the Frenchman was leading 19-17. Popov protested strongly against a line judge’s call and was shown a yellow card for his behaviour, adding further tension to an already gripping encounter.

Despite the interruption, the home favourite regained his focus and held on to win the deciding game 21-18, ending Gemke’s French Open campaign and securing his place in the quarter-finals.