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2026 Orléans Masters Badminton
Kickoff Time: 2026-3–17–3-22 (HKT)
Source:REUTERS/Anushree Fadnavis
The 2026 Orléans Masters Badminton Tournament will officially kick off in Orléans, France, from March 17 to March 22. As a BWF World Tour Super 300 event, the tournament offers a total prize purse of 250,000 US dollars, with the champion earning 7,000 world ranking points. It has become an important stage for many elite and young badminton players to improve their rankings and sharpen their skills.
In the men’s singles event, top seed Chou Tien Chen from Chinese Taipei leads the top half of the draw and will face India’s PRANNOY H. S. in the first round. In the recently concluded Swiss Open, Chou was eliminated in the opening round by China’s Wang Zhengxing. As he has grown older, Chou’s competitive form seems to have declined slightly this season, especially at the “advanced age” of 36. Nevertheless, Chou’s net play and backcourt techniques remain top-class. He boasts agile, smooth and fast footwork, powerful smashes among active men’s singles players, and explosive speed that is hard to match for most athletes in their thirties. In addition, years of competition have endowed Chou with excellent physical fitness and strong mental toughness under pressure. He rarely makes mistakes on crucial points, and his tactical execution is outstanding—few players in today’s badminton world can match his match experience. Notably, if Chou advances smoothly past the first round, he is very likely to face Wang Zhengxing again in the second round. Whether the two will meet again is a major highlight in the top half of the draw.
In the bottom half, second seed French shuttler Alex LANIER will take on compatriot Arnaud MERKLE in the first round. Given Lanier’s strength, he is expected to advance comfortably. Although born in 2005, Lanier has already become France’s top men’s singles player. Lanier is extremely fast and aggressive in attack, with great physicality and solid defensive ability, as well as strong tactical execution. He can flexibly adjust his tactics according to his coach’s instructions during matches. However, Lanier’s net play is not refined enough, making it easy for him to be controlled by opponents with delicate net skills. He also lacks experience in major tournaments. Undoubtedly, Lanier still needs to grow, but his talent is clearly visible. In the previous European Mixed Team Badminton Championships, Lanier led the French team to victory, establishing himself as the leader of French badminton.
The Orléans Masters is highly meaningful for many players. It not only helps them improve their skills and tactics by competing against strong opponents, but also allows them to accumulate points, boost their world rankings, and lay a solid foundation for higher-level tournaments in the future. For young players, whether they can make breakthroughs and gain experience on the international stage will also be one of the highlights of this event. Let us look forward to the players showing their brilliance and breaking through their limits on the court in Orléans!