Delphine Lansac is without doubt one of the bright stars of a new wave of French talents coming through the junior ranks into senior competition. The 17 year old Lyon girl has captured the eye on many occasions over the past two years with her effervescent style of attacking badminton with a little bit of French flare mixed in for good measure.

Her win at the 2012 Polish Junior Championships was her big break on the European Junior Circuit and this quickly followed by her senior call up to the French national team at the 2012 European Men's and Women's Team Championships in Amsterdam at the beginning of the year. Recently Lansac made the quarter final at the Polish Open where she mixed it with seasoned senior players and proved that the future has not limits for the little but loud girl from Lyon.

Our reporter Mark Phelan took some time out with Delphine recently and put 20 questions to the young French girl about her life both on and off the court.

Q1: When did you first discover your love for badminton?
A1 Delphine:  I started to play badminton 10 years ago; I was very young (5 years) and went with my parents and my brother to play out in different parks.  After my brother start to play badminton in my current club BACO  I accompanied my mum to his training. His coach spoke a little bit with my parents and asked me if I would try to play.  I said 'yes' and it was so cool and I had already dreams about badminton in my head and lot of people laughed about that. The next season I began in my current club at 6 years old, in Oullins. There is a very good atmosphere and that is why I stay, I like it!

Q2: Who have been the people who have influenced you most in your career to date and who are your badminton heroes?
A2 Delphine: Since I started badminton, I always followed the results of Pi Hongyan, because she is French player and I really like her game. I also like Tine Baun’s attitude on the court. I think Ratchanok Intanon is amazing for her age, and I also like Viktor Axelsen. I really like the game of Lin Dan, he's flying on the court, and technically amazing.

Q3: What is a typical day for you on and off the court?
A3 Delphine: I have 27 hours of classes during the week. When I come back home (maybe once a month, it depends) I stay with my family, play with my cats, see friends, listen to music, go out, do my homework. I really like to play guitar which I started 3 months ago, my guitar is in my room in Strasbourg.

Q4: How do you mix school with your badminton career?
A4 Delphine: It's a little bit complicated. I'm in a sport school in Strasbourg with some French players U17, U19, and three woman players U22. We are 10 players in total. I train maybe 15h a week for 7 days. On Tuesdays and Thursdays I play 1h30 in the morning and 2h in the afternoon. In the evening I do my homework, relax, speak in the room with my friend Stacey Guerin (French player) which I love to do and that’s cool (laughs).

Q5: What are you goals and objectives in badminton for this year?
A5 Delphine: This year, I'd like to do a 1/8 final or 1/4 at the World Junior Championships, have a podium at senior tournament, go to the final senior championship of France and have a  medal at the European Junior Championships, even though I know this will be difficult.

Q6: What things do you like most about the sport and what things do you don’t particularly like doing?
A6 Delphine: I like almost everything! Haha... I like the fair play between players, the atmosphere, the speed of game, I love to smash, I like to meet people, there is a lot of things that I love to do! I don't really like doubles training even though I know I need to do as part of my game and my development as now I play singles and doubles.

Q7: Outside of badminton what are your favourite things to do?
A7 Delphine: I love music, to play guitar, to play a little bit piano, to speak with my friends and laughing. I like walking in the Alpes, see my family, swimming having holidays in Spain. Maybe I have forgotten many things but these are for sure things I like to do away from the court.

Q8: At the quarter final at Polish Open recently you came so close to beating Golovanova, what things did you learn from that game?
A8 Delphine: I'm still disappointed the way that match ended, I do have regrets. I know that we must go through these emotions and I learned that senior players leave no easy points and it's up to me to pick them up. I learned never give up a single point because at the end maybe will be the difference. In the 3rd set I made lot of mistakes of attacking too much which tired me out. My head was telling me to build gently but my racket was saying smash. I learned that to be at the top I have to reproduce good quality for a long time. In my head I think that I have many things to learn in training and in tournaments. But I'm still happy to play a 1/4 final. I hope to be better in my next senior tournament!

Q9: Do you have any superstitions or routines you always follow when you go to play a match or a tournament?
A9 Delphine: I almost always wear a shuttlecock around my neck and one other necklace, and three bracelets. Also I like to arrive in the hall a long time before the match to properly warm up and be ready when I am called on court.

Q10: What would you say are your strengths and weaknesses on the court?
A10 Delphine: I can't tell you that as it's a secret! Haha...  Weaknesses: short court as I am regularly in trouble there and always stretching to reach. Sometimes my hands are a little bit low and staying relaxed on the court is sometimes a problem. These are all things I am working on in training
Strengths: Smash (I like to smash!). Also I never give up and my mobility on court is good.

Q11: If you could choose two female singles players in the world to train and practise with for a year who would they be?
A10 Delphine: Tine Baun and Li Xuerui because they are so strong! And will be a good experience and opportunity for me to progress.

Q12: What music do you like to listen to and right now what are the most played songs on your IPod?
A12 Delphine: I like all style of music except Rap and Metal. I listen all the time to the song “Somebody that I used to know” by Gotye. For six months I have been listening to this song. I don't know why but I love this song. I also love dance music and I am listening to ''this is love" will i am. Sometimes old school UB40 is good to relax to.

Q13: What is your favourite food?
A13 Delphine: I like Italian food and French food. I don't like Asian food and this is a problem for me during trips to Asia.

Q14: So far in your career what has been your favourite country to visit?
A14 Delphine: I loved Taiwan during World Junior Championships. The people were very nice and it's very different to France. I think I'm lucky to be able to visit countries all over the world as I know so many people cannot and will never be able to do this. It is really nice for me to get these impressions of other cultures.

Q15: What country do you most want to visit and why?
A15: Delphine: I like Islands and place like Tahiti, The Caribbean Islands, Guadeloupe, Philippines really interest me.  They look so beautiful and it would be great to go to these places for sunshine and to relaxing (laughs).

Q16: What has been the best piece of advice you have ever been given?
A16 Delphine:  There has never been anything specific but I have always really liked speaking with Hongyan.  She told me many things, and she told me all about her past which was very interesting. From speaking with her I now know all the sacrifices it takes to be the best in the world. The things she told me has made me a better player and determined to train hard. Things she said to me really opened my eyes and she has been very important in my development.

Q17: If you had 1 million Euro what would you buy?
A17 Delphine: I share a little bit with my family. I would buy one house with a pool as I love to swim, Also lots of clothes and a mac. I would love a room with lot of instruments and musical stuff. I would also  give a little bit to my club because they did lot of things for me. I would also make some donations to charities.

Q18: What has been the scariest thing you have ever done?
A18 Delphine: Maybe when I fell from a palm tree during the first day of 2003 summer holidays. I broke my arm and I had to get a general anaesthetic to reposition my arm. I was scared and nervous and also remember being very very hungry. My arm did not heal correctly and I lost a lot of flexibility which I work hard to improve.

Q19: Do you use social media such as Twitter and Facebook? If so what is your Twitter name?
A19 Delphine: Yes I have a Facebook page, and 1 year ago my club created one page with my results. ''Delphine LANSAC'', for peoples who want to follow it. At this time it is only in French and we will see about  English in the future.

Q20: Finally do you have a favourite joke that you like to tell and if so what is it?
A20 Delphine: Not really but I do like this quote: "Famous seem great when we are on our knees. So let us rise!"

Photo by BadmintonPhoto