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France on top
Date: 12/30/2019 8:45 AM
Published by : Emilie Sommer (BEC)

2019 has come to an end, and it is time to see who has finished on top in the European Elite Circuit Ranking.


In the men’s singles we have Toma Junior Popov leading the way. With an injury in September and October, the 21-year-old Frenchman dropped down the ranking, but with a win in Ireland, a quarterfinal in Scotland and a semifinal in Italy, he managed to end 2019 on top. 


Toma Junior Popov told us about how his 2019 has been as well as the most memorable tournament. 


- It was really tough for me because last year I made an extraordinary rise in the ranking from 200 to 51 in a half year, so at the beginning of 2019 I tried to rise up again, but it was really hard. I lost a little bit of confidence and motivation. But after my injury in September and October, I got back my motivation and I was determined to get my points back and not to give up on the Olympic Games qualification, he said. 


- I think my most memorable moment was the victory at the Irish Open, as I just came back after my injury, Popov ended. 


Women’s singles

In the women’s singles we have another French player who finishes on top, Qi Xuefei. With three tournament wins and two semifinals since August, there has not been a lot of other players that could match her. 


Another player, that has been at the top of the ranking for most of 2019, was Turkey’s Neslihan Yigit. Since August she has had two tournament wins and two runner-ups, but with a loss in the second round at Italian International, while Xuefei got a quarterfinal, the French tops the ranking instead of the Turk. 


Yigit also told us about how her 2019 has been, as well as her goal for the 2020 season. 


- 2019 was a period full of good results for me. I secured my goal to go to the Olympics early with the points I got. I have always struggled for the best in my tournaments, Yigit said. 


- First of all, I want to achieve the best I can do in the Olympics on behalf of myself and my country. And then I want to fight for the best in top-level tournaments and find myself among them. I have planned all my work accordingly. 


To see the full rankings, click here


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