Author: Clément JUBAU
The first two major events on the 2026 international calendar, the PETRONAS Malaysia Open (Super 1000) and the YONEX-SUNRISE India Open (Super 750), set the tone for what promises to be an intense season.
Between confirmations and promising performances, these two tournaments symbolize a year rich in emotions, driven by strong ambitions and an already very high level of play.
The champions are here :
AN Se Young (No. 1, South Korea) began 2026 exactly as she ended the previous year. By winning the Malaysia Open and India Open in quick succession, she once again confirmed her status as the world's leading women's singles player.
In both finals, she faced China's WANG Zhi Yi (No. 2). Each time, the outcome was identical and decisive: the South Korean won in two sets, 21/15, 24/22 in Malaysia and 21/13, 21/11 in India, demonstrating total control over her opponent.
Winners of the 2025 Orleans Masters, Denmark's Jesper TOFT and Amalie MAGELUND (No. 12) delivered an excellent performance at the 2026 PETRONAS Malaysia Open.
They began their tournament by successively eliminating two French pairs:
Thom GICQUEL / Delphine DELRUE (No. 5, France) 21/13, 17/21, 21/9.
Julien MAIO / Léa PALERMO (No. 40, France) 17/21, 21/14, 21/13.
The Danes continued their impressive run by defeating PUAVARANUKROH and PAEWSAMPRAN (No. 4, Thailand) 21/12, 8/21, 21/19, before seeing their adventure come to an end in the semi-finals against JIANG Zhen Bang and WEI Ya Xin (No. 2, China) with a score of 15/21, 14/21.
The South Korean pair KANG Min Hyuk and KI Dong Ju (No. 19) have had a promising start to the season.
At the Malaysia Open, they showed great quality but were eliminated before the quarterfinals by the pair GUTAMA and ISFAHAN (No. 8, Indonesia).
At the India Open, they had an impressive run, reaching the semifinals against LIANG Wei Keng and WANG Chang (No. 5, China): 20/22, 18/21.
Their compatriots KIM Hye Jeong / KONG Hee Yong (No. 3, South Korea) also performed consistently well in both tournaments.
In a series of hard-fought matches, they showed their strength in the early rounds before being eliminated just before the quarterfinals in both the Malaysia Open and the India Open.
On the French side, Alex LANIER (No. 8) particularly distinguished himself at the Malaysia Open. He was the last French player still in contention at the end of the fourth day of competition. He first defeated Alwi FARHAN (No. 17, Indonesia) 21/13, 19/21, 21/13, then Nhat NGUYEN (No. 28, Ireland) 21/8, 21/19.
This performance took him to the quarterfinals, where he faced a giant of the circuit: Kunlavut VITIDSARN (No. 2, Thailand).
After winning the first set, the Frenchman lost 21/15, 10/21, 13/21 to the future tournament winner, leaving the competition just shy of the final four.
Another French player to watch at the India Open, Christo POPOV (No. 7) got off to a good start in the tournament, with several victories.
He first defeated WANG Tzu Wei (No. 24, Taiwan) 13/21, 21/18, 21/19, then against India's KIDAMBI Srikanth (No. 34) 21/14, 17/21, 21/17, thus qualifying for the quarterfinals.
Despite a solid performance, Christo lost 19/21, 19/21 to Jonatan CHRISTIE (No. 4, Indonesia), repeating a similar scenario to that experienced by Alex Lanier in Malaysia: elimination at the gates of the semifinals.
To view the results of the PETRONAS Malaysia Open, click HERE.
To view the results of the YONEX-SUNRISE India Open, click HERE.
Link to our ticket office for the 2026 edition, click HERE.
A memorable achievement by Alex LANIER:
This was the highlight of the 2025 edition. At just 20 years old, Alex LANIER (No. 7, France) not only won a title, he also won the hearts of the public. In an electric atmosphere, the Palais des Sports was transformed into a veritable arena where every point scored by the young prodigy was cheered on by the fervent supporters.
He thus joins the select circle of French winners of the Orleans Masters, alongside Toma Junior POPOV (No. 15), who won the men's singles in 2021 and 2022, and the pair Thom GICQUEL and Delphine DELRUE (No. 5), winners of the mixed doubles in 2019.
When the very highest level comes to Orleans:
The 2025 edition confirmed the place of the Orleans Masters on the world circuit : 304 players from around the world took part in the competition, including 11 olympic medalists.
Among them were stars such as AN Se Young (No. 1, South Korea) in women's singles, and the pair KIM Won Ho and SEO Seung Jae (No. 1, South Korea) in men's doubles, who embodied the very high international level present on the circuit.
This diversity and level of play offered spectators an exceptional competition, placing the Orleans Masters among the must-see events in world badminton.
Historic records for 2025:
During 2025, the tournament shattered historic records. The Palais des Sports was buzzing like never before, with a record crowd of over 12,000 spectators over the week. True to its social commitment, the event enabled more than 7,000 schoolchildren to attend the matches, giving future generations the opportunity to discover badminton and admire the big names who make the sport shine.
Preparations are already underway for the 2026 edition:
Building on this success, we are looking to the future. For this 32nd edition, which will take place from March 17th to 22th at the Palais des Sports, our ambition remains unchanged: to continue developing the event by offering players and spectators alike a top-level experience.
We are committed to maintaining our place among the 30 biggest competitions in the world so that we can continue to welcome the best international badminton players, all in an atmosphere that stays true to the spirit of the Orleans Masters.
Our entire team wishes you a happy new year and we look forward to seeing you in March to continue writing history together.
For more information on the 2026 edition, click HERE
Tickets for the 32nd edition of the Orléans Masters are finally on sale to the general public. Don't miss your chance to attend what is now the second largest international badminton tournament in France !
Over six days, more than 40 nations will compete on the courts of the Palais des Sports Jean Ros in Orléans, playing nearly 200 intense matches. It promises to be a thrilling and spectacular event for all badminton fans, whether they are newcomers or enthusiasts.
See the world's elite in action: the Orléans Masters attracts the best players from around the world!
A flexible format: whether you come alone, in a group, with your badminton club or with your family, you are free to choose how you want to attend (a whole day, morning, evening after work, etc.). You choose when!
Atmosphere and diversity: it's not just about the matches. It's also an opportunity to discover a festive event, with equipment stands, souvenirs, and a collective atmosphere around badminton.
Let's take a look back at the performances of the 2025 Orleans Champions in this four-week European cycle, which included the Artic Open (Super 500), the Denmark Open (Super 750), the French Open (Super 750) and the Hylo Open (Super 500), which ended on Sunday.
In the men's singles, France's Alex LANIER (No. 8) took part in the Denmark, French and Hylo Opens. He failed to shine on home soil, where he was knocked out in the first round. However, in Denmark and Germany, the Frenchman reached the semi-finals. Unfortunately, on both occasions, he came up against Jonatan CHRISTIE (No. 5, Indonesia), who prevented him from reaching the final.
In the women's singles, South Korea's AN Se Young (No. 1) reached the final in both tournaments she entered. At the Denmark Open, she lifted the title by defeating WANG Zhi Yi (No. 2, China) 21/5, 24/22. At the French Open, it was the same story: the world's top two players met in the final, and the Chinese player was once again unable to get the better of the South Korean, losing 13/21, 7/21.
The South Korean pair KANG Min Hyuk / KIM Dong Ju (No. 24) had a difficult European tour during the two tournaments in which they participated. At the Denmark Open, the South Koreans were forced to withdraw as soon as they entered the competition. At the French Open, they faced Malaysia's MAN Wei Chong / TEE Kai Wun (No. 5) in the first round. The task proved too difficult, and they lost 9/21, 13/21.
The pair KIM Hye Jeong / KONG Hee Yong (No. 3, South Korea) also only took part in the Denmark and French Opens. At the Denmark Open, they reached the final, where they lost in three sets to their compatriots BAEK Ha Na / LEE So Hee (No. 5): 21/15, 14/21, 15/21. At the French Open, they were knocked out in the quarter-finals, defeated by China's LI Yi Jing/LUO Xu Min (No. 9): 15/21, 14/21.
The Danish pair Jesper TOFT / Amalie MAGELUND (No. 10) competed in the entire European cycle. However, they failed to reach the final four. Their best performance remains the Hylo Open, where they were knocked out in the quarter-finals by their compatriots Mathias CHRISTIANSEN / Alexandra BØJE (No. 27) : 17/21, 20/22.
