The miracle is launched. After the victory at the Japan Open in August and the semifinal at the Denmark Open last Saturday, Alex Lanier rose this Tuesday to 15th place in the world, the best ranking in history for a French singles player. At just 19 years old, Alex Lanier gained six positions and thus overtook Toma Junior Popov, former 18th in the world, who participated in the Paris Olympic Games and is currently in 19th place.
Lanier last week beat reigning two-time Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen, who withdrew due to illness, before reaching the semifinal of the Denmark Open, the Super 750 tournament, the second level of competition on the international circuit. In August at the Super 750 tournament in Japan, the athlete from Caen achieved a feat by becoming the first Frenchman and one of the youngest in history to win a competition of such importance.
“My long-term goal is to become number 1 in the world”
Absent from the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, as the French were only allowed to select one individual, Toma Junior Popov, and not the double, Lanier was able to perfect his preparation. “During the Olympics I worked hard physically and mentally,” he explained in Japan. I didn’t like this period. But we had to go through all this to be ready for this tournament. And the work paid off. »
The young man does not intend to stop here. “I think my long-term goal is to become world No. 1 and win the Olympic gold medal and the world title,” he said. But first of all I prefer to concentrate on what I have to do on the pitch. »
Next big goal: the Paris World Cup in 2025. “I want to achieve something really huge in this tournament. I want to be one of the best players,” he announced.
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