A tall right-hander from Fos-sur-Mer, Toma Junior Popov has spent much of his career doing two jobs at once. He has chased results in men’s singles while also building a serious men’s doubles partnership with his brother Christo, a split focus that is rare at this level of badminton. It has made his path unusual, but also unmistakable.
Born in Sofia, Bulgaria, on September 29, 1998, Popov moved to France as a child and grew up inside a family where badminton was part of daily life. His father, Toma Popov Sr., was a former international player for Bulgaria and later France, and became a central figure in his son’s development. His uncle, Mihail Popov, played at the Sydney Olympics, and his brothers Christo and Boris also came through the sport. In that setting, the game was less a hobby than a household language.
Growing up between Bulgaria and France
The move to France came when he was still young, and he has said he arrived without speaking French. School helped, but so did sport. Badminton became part of how he settled in, made friends and found his footing in a new country.
He began playing as a boy and developed at the club in Fos-sur-Mer, which would remain the base of his career. That continuity matters in his story. While many players move through national centers and different training systems, Popov’s badminton life has long been tied to the same place, the same family structure and, often, the same people around him.
At 1.96 meters, he stood out physically early on, but his game was never only about size. Even as a junior, he was known more for taking the shuttle early, covering the court well and turning defense into attack quickly.
A junior career that changed the conversation
His first major international junior medal came at the 2015 European Junior Championships, where he took bronze in boys’ singles. That result put him on the map, but it was only a prelude.
In 2016, he reached the quarter-finals in both boys’ singles and boys’ doubles at the BWF World Junior Championships. Then came the season that made him one of the most decorated junior players France had produced.
At the 2017 European Junior Championships, Popov won three gold medals: boys’ singles, boys’ doubles with Thom Gicquel, and the mixed team event. It was a remarkable week, and not just by French standards. He became the first non-Danish male player to win the European junior singles and doubles titles in the same edition of the championships.
That run gave his career real momentum. He was no longer simply a promising player from a badminton family. He had become a leading junior in Europe, with results strong enough to suggest he could carry them into the senior game.
Learning the senior circuit
The step up was gradual rather than dramatic. In 2018, he won bronze in men’s singles at the Mediterranean Games, one of his first notable senior results. It did not instantly turn him into a fixture at the top of the world rankings, but it showed that the transition was underway.
What made that period more demanding was the double workload. Popov was trying to establish himself in singles while also remaining active in doubles. That balancing act can stretch even elite players, especially on the European circuit, where travel weeks stack up quickly and recovery time is limited.
Still, the signs were there. He had the reach to pressure opponents from awkward positions, the speed to recover, and a style that translated well across both disciplines.
The breakthrough years in singles
The first senior title that really shifted his profile came at the 2021 Orléans Masters, where he won the men’s singles crown on home soil. It was his first BWF World Tour title and an important one. Winning in France brought visibility, but more importantly, it showed he could manage the pressure of closing out a tournament as one of the main contenders.
He added another World Tour title at the 2022 Hylo Open, beating Denmark’s Rasmus Gemke in the final. By then, his place in the upper tier of European men’s singles was clear. He was not just collecting solid weeks; he was winning events that mattered.
His biggest run on the circuit came later at the China Open, where he became the first French player to reach a men’s singles final at Super 1000 level. That was a landmark result for French badminton. The tournament sits among the most demanding stops on the calendar, and reaching the final required him to string together wins against elite opposition over a full week.
His career-high world ranking in men’s singles reached No. 13, the best marker yet of how close he has moved toward the game’s top group.
The brothers’ partnership in doubles
Alongside the singles career, the Popov brothers have built one of the more recognizable men’s doubles pairings in Europe. Toma Junior Popov and Christo Popov are not a casual family combination entered when schedules allow; they have been a genuine international team, with a career-high ranking of No. 16 in men’s doubles.
That partnership works in part because their games fit. Toma brings length, interception and a strong presence through the middle of the court. Christo adds speed and sharpness around the front. Together, they can play with a tempo that unsettles more established pairs.
There is also an emotional layer to it. Playing with a brother can sharpen trust, but it can complicate competition too, especially when the draw puts them on opposite sides in singles. Popov has spoken about how difficult it is to face Christo across the net, which says plenty about how closely their careers run together.
One of the more unusual episodes in that family story came at the 2024 German Open, where the brothers met in the men’s singles final. Christo won that match, but the occasion itself was rare: two brothers contesting a World Tour final.
France’s rise in team events
Some of Popov’s most important work has come not in individual finals, but in team competition. He has been part of the French squad during a period when the country moved from dangerous outsider to genuine contender.
France won the European Men’s Team Championships in 2024, with Popov in the lineup, a major result for a nation long trying to close the gap on the traditional powers. He was also part of French teams that took silver at the European Mixed Team Championships in 2021, 2023 and 2025.
Then came the Thomas Cup run that pushed French men’s badminton into a different conversation. France reached the final for the first time, finishing with silver after a standout week. Popov was central to that campaign, helping the team through the pressure matches that define the event.
He also represented France at the Paris Olympics in 2024, competing in both men’s singles and men’s doubles. For a player shaped in France from childhood, appearing at a home Games in two disciplines was a significant career moment, even without a medal.
How he plays
Watch him for a few rallies and the shape of the game becomes clear. Popov likes to take time away from opponents. He looks to intercept early, step into the mid-court and turn neutral exchanges into attacking ones before they settle.
His height helps, of course, but it does not explain the whole player. He is not a static power hitter. The better description is a mobile tall player with good hands, quick reactions and a willingness to play forward. In singles, that allows him to pressure the forecourt and shorten rallies when the opening appears. In doubles, it makes him especially useful in fast exchanges where reach and timing matter as much as raw hitting power.
That style has helped him stay relevant in both events, even though the physical and tactical demands are very different.
Life away from tournaments
Off court, the strongest theme is continuity. Popov has remained closely tied to Fos-sur-Mer, where he trains and where much of his badminton life has been built. His father has continued to coach him, giving the career a family structure that is unusual at this level but clearly central to how he works.
He speaks French, Bulgarian and English, which reflects the two-country shape of his upbringing. That background has always been part of his story: born in Bulgaria, formed in France, and comfortable moving between both worlds.
As for sponsorship, he has been associated with Yonex. Publicly listed BWF prize money figures change over time, so they are best treated as a snapshot rather than a fixed career total.
FAQ
Who is Toma Junior Popov?
He is a French badminton player who competes in men’s singles and men’s doubles.
Where was Toma Junior Popov born?
He was born in Sofia, Bulgaria, and later moved to France as a child.
Who is Toma Junior Popov’s doubles partner?
His regular men’s doubles partner is his brother, Christo Popov.
What is Toma Junior Popov’s highest world ranking?
His career-high ranking in men’s singles is world No. 13. In men’s doubles, he has reached world No. 16.
Did Toma Junior Popov play at the Olympics?
Yes. He represented France at the Paris 2024 Olympics in men’s singles and men’s doubles.
What are Toma Junior Popov’s biggest achievements?
His key results include the 2021 Orléans Masters title, the 2022 Hylo Open title, a Super 1000 men’s singles final at the China Open, and major team results with France, including European team gold and a Thomas Cup silver medal.
