As the year ends, it is also clear who ends the year as the number one on the rankings. For the European under 17 men’s singles players, that will be Christo Popov.
‘2017 was an important year for me. I booked very good results, which gave me the motivation to do better and better’ this young Frenchman stated to Badminton Europe.
Being only 15 and winning four titles in the BEC junior circuit confirm this statement. Needless to say that is why he is the number one in his age group.
Despite winning four titles, those are not the results Popov is the most proud of.
‘For 2017 I am most proud of my quarter final at the World Junior Championships!’
Read: 2017 - the year of surprises
Medals in 2018
Popov hopes to continue his progression in 2018. His main goal for this year is to qualify for the Olympic Youth Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
‘I would also like to take a medal at the World and European Junior Championships’ Popov commented.
Popov also won 2 titles in men’s doubles, one of them being of the 2017 European U17 Championships. This made him end number 4 in men’s doubles U17. His partner, Kenji Lovang, ends this year as number 1 after playing more tournaments in the senior circuit.
Read: Axelsen closes 2017 as no. 1
Girl power under 17
Bengisu Ercetin (Turkey ) showed great form in women’s doubles in both the junior and senior circuit, at only the age of 16. Winning 6 titles this year, including the 2017 European U17 Championships, Ercetin is undoubtedly the number one under 17 in women’s doubles this year!
Hope Warner (England) won the 2017 European U17 Championships in mixed doubles together with her partner Rory Easton. But Hope played more tournaments and she did great which made her closes 2017 as the number one in mixed doubles under 17.
Anastasiia Putinskaia (Russia) had overall the best results and will therefore end the year as the number one in women’s singles under 17.
Find the BEC European U17 ranking here.