France have never quite made it in the European Mixed Team Championships. The French have never even finished in the top 3 since the tournament’s inception back in 1972.

Beginning on 13^th February, this French team will have the chance to change that and write themselves into the history books.

To do that however they will have to get through a very difficult Group 1 where they are drawn alongside Denmark, Spain and The Netherlands. France will be in a tough battle to make it to the finals stage especially coming up against hosts Denmark.

The Danes are the superpower of European Badminton and have some of the World’s top players at their disposal for the competition in Copenhagen. To combat the Danes the French team will have to improve on what they managed two years ago where they were beaten 5-0 by the Danes, in the Group Stage in a Tournament the Danish team went on to win, but will be confident of an improvement here.

Squad

The French squad is blessed with a number of options in the Men’s Singles category. All three of Brice Leverdez, Lucas Corvee and Toma Junior Popov rank within the top 60 players in the World so it will be interesting to see which one of them will fight their way to top spot.

Leverdez is expected to line-up in their first opening match-up with the Danes. The World number 30 began the year by reaching the Semi Finals in the Thailand Masters so is in good stead coming into this one but will have to step up if he is to match the likes of Viktor Axelsen.

Potential team line-up

Men’s Singles – Brice Leverdez

Women’s Singles – Marie Batomene

Men’s Doubles – Thom Giquel/Ronan Labar

Women’s Doubles – Anne Tran/Emilie Lefel

Mixed Doubles – Thom Giquel/Delphine Delrue

See the full squad list here

France’s Group 1 schedule

13/02/19 – Denmark

14/02/19 – Spain

15/02/19 – Netherlands