Sabasports Match Preview
VICTOR Denmark Open 2024
2024-10-29 to 2024-11-03
Source: REUTERS/Tingshu Wang
The 2024 Hylo Open (Super 300) will be held in Saarbrucken, Germany, from October 29 to November 3, with a total prize pool of up to $210,000. However, due to scheduling issues, the registration for this tournament has been quite disappointing, and the overall strength of the players is not as strong as that of the annual European Championships. In men’s singles, the biggest highlights are the hard-working Chou Tien Chen from Chinese Taipei and three French players: Alex Lanier, Toma Junior Popov, and Christo Popov.
As the top seed of the tournament, Chou Tien Chen is placed in the upper half of the draw, and barring any surprises, he is likely to secure a spot in the semifinals. Looking at the overall strength of the players in the upper half, the only one who can pose a threat to Chou Tien Chen is the tournament’s third seed, Toma Junior Popov. The last time they faced each other was in the semifinals of this year’s Spanish Masters, where Chou lost 1-2 to Popov. However, based on their recent competitive form, Chou Tien Chen is clearly performing better than Toma Junior Popov. The 34-year-old Chou reached the finals of the Japan Open and then made it to the semifinals of the Chinese Taipei Open. This season, he won the Thailand Masters and finished as runner-up in both the Swiss Open and Japan Open. Recently, at the Arctic Open, Chou defeated Indonesian star Jonatan Christie 2-0, claiming his second title of the season.
On the other hand, the tournament’s second seed, Alex Lanier, is placed in the bottom half and is also likely to secure a spot in the semifinals. Among the players in the bottom half, his compatriot Christo Popov will be Lanier’s biggest rival for a place in the finals. However, at just 19 years old, Lanier has officially taken over the mantle of leading French men’s singles from the Popov brothers. In a remarkable performance at the previous Japan Open, Lanier won his first Super 750 title by defeating Chou Tien Chen 2-0 in the finals, becoming the youngest men’s singles champion in that event’s history. Additionally, Lanier secured his second BWF Tour men’s singles title after the 2022 Canada Open. Therefore, if Lanier and Christo Popov do meet in this tournament, it will be difficult for Christo to stop Lanier’s rising momentum.
Undoubtedly, Chou Tien Chen, Lanier, and the Popov brothers are all strong contenders for the championship in this tournament. However, considering overall strength and competitive form, Chou Tien Chen and Lanier are consistently ahead. Thus, it is highly likely that these two will face each other in the finals. Whether Chou can avenge his previous loss to Lanier or if Lanier will continue to make history remains to be seen!