Semi-final day at the HYLO Open 2025 – without German participation, but with a Danish qualifier in the final. Also: Four more Europeans are in the finals.
First up were Margot Lambert and Camille Pognante. The two French women defeated the Taiwanese Chang/Yang in the first game of the day (21:19, 21:16). Lambert says: “We had our nerves under better control.” She has good experience at the Saarlandhalle and became European champion here last year.
Lambert and Pognante share a room during the tournament – and are now aiming for their first title together on the World Tour. About the final against the next Taiwanese pairing Hsu Yin-Hui and Lin Jhih Yun, Lambert says: “It will be mentally difficult, after all it is a final. But we will be ready.”
Hsu and Lin have discovered a dish in Saarbrücken for themselves, as they revealed in an interview on the “HYLO Open Live” program: the kebab box. With kebab meat and fries to win the tournament?
Nervous Olympic champion wants the title
In the men’s doubles, a Taiwanese duo is also fighting for the winner’s prize money of almost 40,000 US dollars. Chiu Hsiang Chieh and Wang Chi-Lin defeated their compatriots Lee Jhe-Huei and Yang Po-Hsuan in nerve-racking three sets (21:17, 16:21, 24:22). Double Olympic champion Wang: “We were super nervous. Our teammates have been playing together longer, they are ahead of us in the world rankings. This is a big victory for us.”
The unseeded Taiwanese will meet the 6th seeded Indonesians Sabar Gutama and Moh Isfahani, who clearly prevailed against the Malaysians Man/Tee (21:16, 21:15). Gutama: “For some reason we feel really comfortable in the hall. It’s great that we’re in the final.”
In the men’s singles, women’s singles and mixed doubles, Danes are fighting for the title in the Saarlandhalle. Qualifier Magnus Johannesen completes his HYLO fairy tale by reaching the final (21:13, 21:13 against Kalle Koljonen). “I felt like I was in control of the match.” And further: “I decided to take one step at a time. At the beginning of the year I struggled with minor injuries. Now being in the final makes me really happy.”
Dane, Dane and Danes in the final
Now Johannesen will face world number five Jonatan Christie for the first time in his career. “It wasn’t easy. I really had to fight until the end. I always believed in victory – and proved it in the end,” said the Indonesian after his three-set match against Frenchman Alex Lanier (18:21, 19:21, 21:9).
There is more Danish power in the women’s singles. Last year’s winner Mia Blichfeldt won against her compatriot Line Christophersen in three sets (21:18, 7:21, 21:19). “These are the best victories when I have to fight my way.” The second semi-final was a clear affair: top seed Indonesian Putri Kusuma Wardani defeated Unnati Hooda from India (21:7, 21:13).
There will definitely be a European title at the HYLO Open 2025. Mathias Christiansen and Alexandra Bøje defeated the surprise semi-finalists Ruben Garcia and Lucia Rodriguez from Spain (21:12, 21:12). In the final they will face World Cup bronze medalists Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue, who knocked Marvin Seidel and Thuc Nguyen out of the tournament in the quarterfinals. The French had to fight in their semi-final against the Thais Oupthong/Sudjaipraparat in three sets (21:9, 13:21, 21:16).
All finals live and free
All games in the home tournament are available live and free of charge live.hylo.sport to see. The show HYLO OPEN LIVE with a commented conference stream, interviews, studio guests and background formats from the Saarlandhalle also runs here every day from 1:45 p.m. until the last rally.
