Zaki Ubaidillah Remains Grateful Despite Failing to Win the 2026 French Open Title.

Indonesia Men's Singles shuttler Moh Zaki Ubaidillah concluded the tournament as runner-up at the 2026 French Open. Despite failing to take home the championship title, Ubed remained grateful for this achievement. 

He admitted that pressure from the home crowd had disrupted his concentration while facing Christo Popov in the final match.

Ubed was forced to concede defeat to the French representative after a three-game battle that finished with scores 11-21, 21-14, 13-21 at the Grand Paris Arena on Sunday. This result also marks the end of Ubed's first ever final appearance at a BWF World Tour Super 750 tournament.

Even though he did not win the title, Ubed views his run at the 2026 French Open as valuable experience for his career development. 

Competing against a more seasoned player on this major international stage provided him with critical lessons for future matches.

"There are so many lessons I took away from that final match against such an experienced opponent," stated Ubed in an official PBSI press release on Monday.

Home Crowd Pressure Disrupted Ubed's Focus

One of the biggest challenges Ubed faced during the 2026 French Open final was navigating the match atmosphere that was fully behind Popov. 

Unwavering support from the home audience put the 19-year-old Badminton athlete under a completely different level of pressure compared to his Semi-Final match.

Ubed had successfully handled a similar situation when he faced Alex Lanier in the semi-final round.

"When I played against Alex I was able to manage that pressure, but it felt completely different today," he remarked.

This lapse in concentration is one of the key areas Ubed will be evaluating. Maintaining composure and consistent play is noted as a critical factor for final matches.

Ubed Mounted A Comeback But Failed To Sustain Momentum

Match progression showed Ubed fighting back after dropping the first game. Popov dominated the opening set to win 21-11, but the Indonesian representative responded by stepping up his performance in the second game.

Ubed found his rhythm to claim the second set 21-14. This victory kept his title hopes alive and forced the match into a deciding third game.

However, Popov regained full control in the final set. Ubed fell behind from the very start and struggled to establish his game pattern. Popov eventually sealed a 21-13 victory to claim the 2026 French Open title in front of his home supporters.

"I got off to a poor start in the third game. He had already read all my shot patterns, that affected everything that followed. But I gave absolutely everything I had," he added. 

While this defeat ended Ubed's bid for the title, his run all the way to the final has proven he is capable of competing against the world's top tier players. 

Zaki Ubaidillah Vows To Learn From 2026 French Open Experience

After reaching the 2026 French Open final, Ubed acknowledges he still has plenty of room to grow, as he remains early in his elite international badminton career.

For Ubed, this achievement in Paris is not an end point, but a stepping stone as he works towards better results in upcoming tournaments.

"There is still so much I need to learn moving forward. I haven't had much experience facing the world's elite players yet. I will keep working to achieve even better results," he concluded.