The quarter-finals played this Friday in Tokyo have given their verdict, and the French team is now guaranteed to win seven world medals. It remains to determine the colors, while the semi-finals are scheduled for Yoyogi Stadium on Saturday.
On the men’s singles side, Lucas Mazur (world n°1, SL4), double defending champion and crowned Paralympic champion in this same hall last year, easily reached the last four after his victory against Thailand’s Siripong Teamarrom (21- 15, 21-12). He advances as the favorite of the next round against the Indonesian Hikmat Ramdani (n°20).
Faustine Noël, in the semi-finals in singles, doubles and mixed doubles
In women’s singles, there were still three French women at the quarter-final stage in SL4. But only the Breton Faustine Noël passed the obstacle by dominating the Indian Jyothi Jyothi (n°5; 21-12, 21-11). Her next meeting will confront her with her nemesis, the Norwegian Helle Sofie Sagoey (n°2), against whom she has never won in six matches.
Faustine Noël is the only Frenchwoman to have qualified in singles. (Parabadmintonphoto)
Faustine Noël triples the bet with a qualification also in women’s doubles (SL3 / SU5) with Lenaïg Morin, with whom she is chasing a medal before this category disappears from the Paralympic program (they had finished 4th at the Games), and in mixed doubles (SL3/SU5) with Lucas Mazur. The Paralympic vice-champions thus took their revenge against the Indonesians Hary Susanto and Leani Ratri Oktila, who had swept them away in the final of the Games, winning this time 21/15 21/11.
From now on, it is the Thais Saensupa and Teamarrom (n°3) who stand in their way. The French lead 3-1 in their direct confrontations but had faltered in the last in 2020. “We are obviously very happy to beat the Paralympic champions. It was a big match for us, we found the right elements, despite a rather difficult group stage exit with the Indonesian pair n°2 who heckled us »reacted Lucas Mazur.
“We may not have expected such a tough match in the pool, but we gave it our all and I think that put us in our focus, Faustine Noel went on. We knew that in the quarter, it was going to be a big match, we stayed very focused, that’s what made the difference. »
Podium assured for Mathieu Thomas and Guillaume Gailly
Another assured podium, the men’s double SL3/SL4 composed of Mathieu Thomas and Guillaume Gailly (n°5), who won their quarter-final against the Thai pair Siripong Teamarrom and Mongkhon Bunsun (21/17 21/16). They will challenge, on Saturday, the Indian world champions, Sarkar and Bhagat. And if it does not pass in simple for David Toupe (n°24) and Thomas Jakobs (n°8), their pair (n°9) beat at the end of the suspense the Indians Hubaida and Ale (n°6) on the score of 21/18 11/21 23/22. They will face the Malaysians Ramli and Noorlan (n°2) for a place in the final. Both pairs are at 1 everywhere in direct confrontations.
Mathieu Thomas and Guillaume Gailly. (Parabadmintonphoto)
Finally, in the SH6 category, the pair made up of Charles Noakes and Fabien Morat will also compete in the semi-finals. Seeded No. 2, she received a “bye” in the quarter.
