Winning a European title has a way of changing things, but for Christo Popov, it didn't just elevate his singles profile. It made his doubles partnership with brother Toma Junior Popov more serious than ever.

The French shuttler has shut down any talk of stepping away from doubles, and his reasoning goes deeper than most people might expect.

"Right now it's off the table," he said "We have a serious project in doubles, as we have always had. After becoming European champions, I think it made it even more serious."

And for a player who just delivered the best six months of his career in singles, choosing to double down on doubles rather than protect his energy says everything about where his head is at right now.

That's a strong statement from someone whose singles career is simultaneously at its peak.

Christo’s 2025 season was one to remember. It began with a runner-up finish at the Swiss Open in February, a result that set a good start for the year.

In April, he won a bronze medal in men’s singles at the European Championships. At the same event, he and his brother Toma also won the men’s doubles title together.

He later had a strong run at the French Open in October. Then, in December, he finished the year in the best way by winning the BWF World Tour Finals title.

For Christo, the most important thing was his consistency.
“Playing well for almost six months and staying at a high level was the best half-year of my young career,” he said.

Through all of it, doubles never got sidelined.

The Real Reason Christo Popov Won't Give Up Doubles

If you take away the titles and rankings, there is a simple reason behind this partnership. They enjoy playing together.

“For me, and I think for my brother too, doubles is a way for us to enjoy ourselves during tournaments,” Christo said. At the top level of badminton, that feeling is important. Playing singles can be very demanding mentally, and Christo admits he sometimes needs a break from that pressure.

“Sometimes it can be hard mentally to stay at a very high level all the time,” he said. “Playing doubles helps with that.”

In April 2025, the brothers won the European doubles title together. At the same time, Christo’s singles career is still growing.

For them, the partnership is about competition, family, and enjoying the game. One thing seems clear: stopping is not something they are thinking about.

Do you think the Popov brothers can become a strong doubles pair while still playing singles?

Written by

Sneha Abraham

Edited by

Kaamna Dwivedi