Alex Lanier made history in New Delhi on Sunday, becoming the first Frenchman to win the men’s singles title at the Badminton World Championships after beating Japan’s Kodai Naraoka 21-11, 21-11 in the final.
The 21-year-old controlled the contest from the outset, completing the victory in about 50 minutes at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium. Naraoka, a former World Championship finalist, struggled to match Lanier’s movement and attacking quality as the Frenchman repeatedly stretched him across the court before finishing rallies with powerful smashes.
Lanier established control during the opening game, using his movement and shot selection to force Naraoka into difficult positions. He led 11-9 at the interval before accelerating away from the Japanese player and taking the first game 21-11 in 23 minutes.
Naraoka attempted to change the pattern in the second game, looking for attacking opportunities from deep positions. But Lanier continued to anticipate his opponent’s movement and responded with sharp attacking shots. Several Naraoka attempts went wide as his challenge began to fade.
Lanier then opened the second game strongly, moving into an 8-3 advantage before Naraoka briefly tried to impose his power game. The Frenchman remained composed, maintained the pace of the rallies and closed out another 21-11 game to secure the biggest title of his career.
The result completed a remarkable tournament for Lanier. He entered the championship as the world No. 10 and reached the final after victories over Kunlavut Vitidsarn and Victor Lai, among others. His run culminated in a dominant performance against Naraoka, who was ranked immediately behind him.
The victory also capped an extraordinary day for French badminton. Earlier, Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue became the first French pair to win a World Championship title after defeating China’s top seeds Feng Yan Zhe and Huang Dong Ping 22-20, 19-21, 21-15 in the mixed doubles final.
France’s progress has been building across the international game. Christo Popov won the World Tour Finals in the previous year, while the French team also captured the continental championship after beating Denmark. Lanier’s breakthrough in New Delhi now gives France an unprecedented men’s singles world champion.
For Lanier, the triumph represents a major rise on the international stage. His world title adds another landmark to a career that has developed rapidly and places him among the leading figures in a new generation of French badminton players.
His victory also underlines the changing competitive landscape of the men’s singles game. Against a player with previous World Championship final experience, Lanier imposed his own style rather than allowing the contest to become a prolonged defensive battle.
By winning both games by the same 21-11 score, Lanier produced a remarkably emphatic finish to the tournament and secured a historic first for France in men’s singles at the World Championships.
