Christo Popov made history on Sunday, becoming the first Frenchman in 80 years to win the French Open after defeating Indonesia’s Zaki Ubaidillah 21-11, 14-21, 21-13 in the men’s singles final. The victory also propelled him to the world No. 1 ranking.

“Everything was scripted,” Popov told Badminton Europe after overcoming Ubaidillah in a thrilling three-game battle to secure the 2026 French Open men’s singles title.

The triumph also saw the Frenchman reach the top of the world rankings following a memorable afternoon in Tremblay-en-France, where everything seemed to fall into place.

Popov described the moment as something straight out of a movie, reflecting on how events had unfolded in his favour.

“Everything was already like the path was for me. I guess I took it,” he said.

The Frenchman dominated the opening game, winning it 21-11, but Ubaidillah responded strongly to take the second 21-14 and force a deciding game. Popov held his nerve under pressure, eventually winning 21-13 to spark wild celebrations among the passionate home crowd.

“I was very emotional and nervous,” Popov admitted. “When you have the match in your hand, and it kind of is taken away… I fought very hard, and I think in those moments that’s what I’m best at doing.”

After sealing the decisive point, the European champion threw his racket to the floor in disbelief before unleashing a roar of triumph.

The victory marked Popov’s second consecutive appearance in the French Open final. He finished as runner-up last year after losing to Denmark’s Anders Antonsen, who was knocked out in the first round of this year’s tournament.

“If there was a day I needed to win, it’s this one,” Popov said.