[67] The Race to World Number 1

Thommy is joined by Kirsty Gilmour and Christo Popov to talk about the latest weeks on tour, the World Championships, life under the spotlight, and the reality of dealing with online abuse and betting-related messages.Christo reflects on his World Championship exit, his rise to World No. 2 and becoming the first non-Danish European men's singles player to reach the top of the European rankings in more than 800 weeks.Kirsty also talks about a difficult season, finding momentum again and the different challenges of playing against men in training compared to women in tournaments.And of course, we had to discuss the upcoming 15-point scoring system. What will shorter matches mean for badminton? Could different scoring systems make the biggest tournaments feel more special? And should tournaments have their own identity?Plus: German Open kebabs, questionable haircuts, tournament colours and plenty of classic ShuttleSquad nonsense.

The World Championships are over — and there is a lot to talk about.In Episode 66, Thommy is joined by Marvin Seidel and Kirsty Gilmour to look back on the World Championships and everything that happened on and off the court.They discuss the incredible competitiveness of the tournament, tough early exits, the impact of drift and the importance of making the right tactical decisions. Kirsty also shares her experience from India and her thoughts on her own performance. A major topic is the rise of French badminton after France claimed two World Championship titles. The squad talks about the long-term development behind this success, the French junior system and what this could mean for the future of European badminton. Plus: the next World Championships, possible future locations, the new Super 1000 structure and what the players are already looking forward to in the next chapter of the season. As always, thanks for listening and supporting the ShuttleSquad!Make sure to like, comment and subscribe if you haven't already.#ShuttleSquad #BadmintonPodcast #Badminton #WorldChampionships #KirstyGilmour #MarvinSeidel

The World Championships are just around the corner — and Christo Popov has some serious battles ahead.In Episode 65, Christo and Thommy break down Christo’s tough draws in both men’s singles and men’s doubles at the upcoming World Championships in New Delhi, India. Christo also takes us behind the scenes of his intense final weeks of preparation, his schedule in the days leading up to the tournament and what it takes to be ready for the biggest stage of the year.They also look at Christo’s expectations heading into the World Championships and discuss what has changed compared to the past few years.The road to Delhi is almost complete. Now it’s time for the biggest stage.Follow the ShuttleSquad throughout the World Championships and make sure to like, comment and subscribe if you haven’t already.#ShuttleSquad #BadmintonPodcast #WorldChampionships #Badminton #ChristoPopov

In this episode Kirsty and Thommy break down the women's singles and women's doubles draw of the upcoming badminton world championships in New Delhi, India. Kirsty is in the middle of her preparations and is eager to perform on the biggest stage of world badminton. The European champion shares some training insights, reacts to her own (very tough) draw and also names her favorites to win, players to watch and interesting match ups. As always, drop a like, leave a comment and subscribe to our channels, if you haven't done it yet. And also make sure to come back for part 2 with Marvin and Christo for men's singles, men's doubles and mixed doubles. Thanks for your support! #shutttlesquad #badmintonpodcast

The full Shuttlesquad is back, although Kirsty joins the episode a little later after getting stuck on the way back from practice.Fresh off his Japan Open title, Christo Popov takes us behind the scenes of one of the biggest wins of his career, from battling through tough matches to flying straight to China for the next Super 1000 event. The squad also talks about life on tour, adapting to different tournament conditions, learning languages, and what players really experience behind the scenes at the biggest events.Somehow, the conversation also leads to Alex Lanier's hatred of bananas, Christo's very selective sushi order, Marvin trying baseball in Japan, and a passionate discussion about anti-doping and athlete welfare.A mix of elite badminton insights, travel stories, and the usual Shuttlesquad banter. Watch the full episode on YouTube or listen here on Spotify.

The World Championships are just around the corner, and Thom Gicquel has one clear goal: becoming World Champion.In Episode 62 of the ShuttleSquad Podcast, Thommy, Marvin and Kirsty are joined by French mixed doubles star Thom Gicquel for an honest conversation about the biggest topics in badminton.In this episode, we discuss:- Thom's decision to skip the Thomas Cup and focus on the World Championships- His ambitions for World Championship and Olympic success- The upcoming changes to the BWF World Tour and the new 15-point scoring system- Why badminton players need to build their own personal brands- And finally, the singles match we all want to see: Marvin vs. Thom. Who would come out on top?vLet us know in the comments: Who wins the singles match – Marvin or Thom?Enjoy Episode 62 of the ShuttleSquad Podcast.

In Episode 61, Thommy Fuchs, Marvin Seidel and Kirsty Gilmour answer questions from the Shuttle Squad community.The trio discusses training in extreme summer heat, junior development, common mistakes young players make, and practical advice for recreational players looking to improve their game.A relaxed Q&A episode packed with insights from life on the professional badminton tour.

The whole squad is back together.Thommy Fuchs, Kirsty Gilmour, Marvin Seidel and Christo Popov reunite for a relaxed holiday edition of the Shuttle Squad Podcast after a busy stretch of tournaments across Asia.Recording from Sicily, Lisbon, Slovenia and France, the team discusses how professional badminton players spend their time away from competition, balancing recovery, training and preparation for the second half of the season.Topics include:Life after the Asia TourHoliday plans and recovery between tournamentsHow much players train during time offStrength training and injury preventionTracking performance, sleep and recovery dataWearables, heart-rate monitors and training technologyPreparing for Japan, China and the World ChampionshipsMathias Christiansen & Alexandra Bøje's remarkable run on the BWF World TourA relaxed conversation with the full Shuttle Squad before everyone returns to training and competition.New episodes every two weeks.#shuttlesquad #badminton

Episode 59 of the Shuttle Squad Podcast features Thommy Fuchs, Marvin Seidel, and Christo Popov.The main topic is France's historic run to the Thomas Cup Final. Christo shares his perspective from inside the team, discussing the atmosphere, key moments, and what it meant to achieve the best Thomas Cup result in French badminton history.The episode also covers life on the Asian tournament circuit, training in Singapore's extreme humidity, recent performances in Malaysia and Singapore, preparations for the Indonesia Open, and whether a Europe vs Asia team event could work in badminton.#shuttlesquad #badmintonpodcast #thomascup

ShuttleSquad goes Thomas & Uber Cup. We had the chance to witness the Team World Championships of Badminton live last week in Horsens, Denmark. During that time we had the chance to record a guest episode with Danish mixed doubles player and World no.7 Mathias Christiansen. We talked about the Thomas Cup on home soil, the expectation that the Danish public had before the tournament and what it means for the team to play this big event on home soil. The episode was recorded after the second group match of Denmark. After 20 minutes we switch topics and talk about Mathias' career, the crazy comeback after his one year suspension and upcoming goals, the new scoring system and what elements it takes to create the perfect mixed doubles player.Make sure to like, comment and subscribe to not miss any news! #badminton #shuttlesquad #podcast