Alex Lanier produced the biggest result of his young career on Sunday, becoming the first Frenchman to win the men’s singles title at the BWF World Championships. The 21-year-old defeated Japan’s Kodai Naraoka 21-11, 21-11 in the final at New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, completing a remarkable day for French badminton.
Lanier entered the final knowing he was on the verge of something no French men’s singles player had achieved since the World Championships began in 1977. Rather than allowing the occasion to weigh on him, he played with confidence from the opening rally and kept Naraoka under constant pressure.
The Japanese shuttler is known for his ability to defend for long periods and turn exhausting rallies into an advantage. Lanier, however, refused to let the match settle into that pattern. He attacked early, moved his opponent around the court and used his pace and power to take control.
Naraoka briefly led 9-8 in the opening game, but that was effectively the turning point. Lanier responded by winning 13 of the next 14 points, transforming a close contest into a one-sided affair. He closed the first game 21-11 and carried the momentum straight into the second.
The second game followed a similar script. Lanier remained aggressive without becoming reckless, while Naraoka struggled to find the openings he needed. The Frenchman eventually pulled away from 14-11 by winning seven consecutive points, sealing the championship after around 50 minutes.
The victory was particularly striking given Lanier’s rapid rise. The player from Normandy was ranked as low as 48th in the world two years ago and missed the Paris Olympics. He has since climbed into the world’s top 10 and added a World Championship title to his growing list of achievements.
Lanier’s triumph came only a short time after another French breakthrough in New Delhi. Earlier on the same day, Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue won the mixed doubles title, defeating China’s top-seeded Feng Yanzhe and Huang Dongping 22-20, 19-21, 21-15.
That victory was France’s first-ever gold medal in mixed doubles at the World Championships. Lanier then added a second gold, giving France two world titles at one edition of the tournament for the first time.
The achievement represents a major change for French badminton, which had traditionally remained outside the sport’s strongest medal-winning nations. Before this championship, France had never had a men’s singles finalist at the World Championships. The country had also managed only two bronze medals in the competition before its breakthrough in New Delhi.
While France celebrated its historic day, South Korea also enjoyed a memorable finish.
World No. 1 An Se-young regained the women’s singles crown by beating defending champion Akane Yamaguchi of Japan 21-17, 21-14. It was An’s second world title, following her triumph in 2023.
The victory further strengthens the South Korean’s position among the leading players of her generation. She already holds Olympic, World Championships, Asian Games and Asian Championships titles, giving her a collection of major honours few players can match.
South Korea completed its own golden double in New Delhi when Baek Ha-na and Lee So-hee won the women’s doubles title. The pair defeated China’s Liu Shengshu and Tan Ning 21-15, 21-15, ending a 31-year wait for South Korea in the event. The country had last won the women’s doubles world title in 1995.
China, meanwhile, avoided leaving New Delhi without a gold medal. Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang defeated Malaysia’s Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik in the men’s doubles final to secure China’s only championship title of the tournament.
The results made the 2026 BWF World Championships notable for the changing balance of power in international badminton. China remained a major presence, but France and South Korea each collected two gold medals, highlighting the growing depth of competition across the sport.
The tournament was also significant for India, which hosted the championships in New Delhi. Indian pair Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand won a bronze medal in women’s doubles, giving the home supporters another reason to celebrate during the final day.
The championship will be remembered for a much more personal reason as Lanier had already rewritten the history of French badminton.
