Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue created history on Sunday by becoming France’s first-ever badminton World Champions in mixed doubles. The world No. 5 French pair stunned top-ranked Chinese duo Feng Yan Zhe and Huang Dong Ping in a thrilling final.Gicquel and Delrue fought back from a tight contest to win 22-20, 19-21, 21-15 in one hour and 18 minutes, securing the biggest title of their careers.
French duo produce a tactical masterclass
The French pair, who won bronze at the previous World Championships, delivered a smart and controlled performance against the world No. 1 team. Their play at the net was particularly effective, as they managed to limit Huang’s impact and keep the Chinese pair under pressure.Their victory also capped a strong season so far. Gicquel and Delrue had finished runners-up at the All England Championships and reached the semifinals at both the Indonesia and China Super 1000 events earlier this year.Their consistency on the big stage finally paid off with a historic world title, making them the first French mixed doubles pair to achieve the feat.
More history could follow for France
France could have another world champion soon, with ninth-seeded Alex Lanier reaching the men’s singles final. He will face Japan’s Kodai Naraoka in the title clash.Lanier has the opportunity to make further history by becoming the first Frenchman to win the men’s singles world title. His run means France could potentially leave the championships with two landmark victories across different events.
