The Mulhouseian Thom Gicquel and the Camblysian Delphine Delrue came within one point of a success against the South Korean world champions, this Friday in the mixed quarter-finals at the Danish Open in Odense.
St.G. – Yesterday at 9:45 p.m. | updated yesterday at 11:18 p.m.
The disappointment is immense, proportional to the feat that Mulhousian Thom Gicquel and Camblysian Delphine Delrue touched, but let slip, this Friday in Odense in the quarterfinals. final of the Danish Open – Super 750 of the World Tour -, losing after an epic duel of 1h14′ against world champions Seo Sung Jae and Chae Yu Jung (24-22, 19-21 , 20-22).
In a remake of the final of the China Open – their first in Super 1000 – which they lost in two sets (21-19, 21-12) on September 10, the five-time French champions believed they would get their revenge against the South Koreans, No. 4 and No. 4 seeds. After a tough first round 24-22, they were very close to folding in the second (18-9, then again 19-15). But the Seo/Chae duo came back from nowhere and equalized at a set all thanks to a ruthless 12-1.
The 2022 European vice-champions could then have plunged into a poorly handled third set (0-5, 4-10, 12-17). But they in turn brilliantly reversed the trend to take a lead at 20-19 before losing 22-20 and seeing the semi-final slip away.
They will try to forget this cruel outcome next week at the French internationals (Super 750) which Thom Gicquel, originally from the Rennes region, will have the chance to compete at home in Cesson.
Abu Dhabi: Merklé and Lanier break, Maïo passes
Nearly 7,000 km away, at the Abu Dhabi Masters (Super 100), the two other Alsatian licensees Arnaud Merklé (Red Star Mulhouse) and Alex Lanier (ASPTT Strasbourg), seeded n°2 and n°3, also stumbled in the quarters. The Strasbourg player, 63rd, was defeated by the Danish giant Mads Christophersen, 53rd (21-14, 17-21, 21-13). The Mulhouseian, 47th, was surprised by the Indian Raghu Mariswamy, 289th (14-21, 19-21).
Only, ultimately, the Strasbourg resident from Maromme, Julien Maïo, validated his ticket for the last four, in men’s doubles with Ruben Jille (Netherlands). The Franco-Dutch duo got the better of the Indians Krishna Prasad Garaga and Vishnuvardhan Goud Panjala in the quarters (22-20, 19-21, 21-14).
This performance allows them to approach their half this Saturday without complexes against the Thai Thongsa-Nga/Kaosamaang, seeded n°3 and 45th.
Czech Republic Open
Men’s doubles. Round of 16: Begga (ASPTT Strasbourg)/Labarthe – Morawski/Podkowinski (Pol) 21-15, 18-21, 21-14.
Double dames. Round of 16: Pognante (Red Star Mulhouse)/Jacob – Karmann/Lober (Dan) 21-9, 21-14, Schaffner (ASPTTS)/Cesari – Strömvall/Wang (Suè) 13-21, 21-18, 21-19.
Mixed. Round of 16: Labarthe/Pognante (RSM) – Jones/Kelly (Ang) 21-23, 14-21. Round of 16: Begga/Schaffner (ASPTTS) – Soby/Vang (Dan) 17-21, 11-21.
2023-10-20 19:45:00
#Badminton #Thom #Gicquel #cruelest #outings
