Birmingham, England – Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue saw their bid for a second Super 1000 title fall short on Sunday, March 8th, as they were defeated by Taiwan’s Ye Hong Wei and Nicole Gonzales Chan in the final of the Yonex All England Open Badminton Championships. The French pair lost in straight sets, 21-19, 21-18, at the Utilita Arena Birmingham.
Gicquel and Delrue, who previously made history as the first French players to win a Super 1000 tournament with their victory in Indonesia in June 2025, were looking to add another prestigious title to their resume. However, they were unable to overcome a strong performance from the Taiwanese duo.
First Set Slip-Up
The French pair started strongly, building an early lead of 1-5 and extending it to 14-18 in the first set. However, Ye and Gonzales Chan mounted a late comeback, ultimately taking the set 21-19. A crucial point against the French team shifted the momentum in favor of the Taiwanese pair.
The second game saw Gicquel and Delrue initially stay competitive, remaining close at 12-11. However, they were unable to close the gap, with Ye and Gonzales Chan pulling away to secure the set 21-18 and claim the championship.
The victory for Ye Hong Wei and Nicole Gonzales Chan marks a significant achievement for the Chinese Taipei pair, who were appearing in their first Super 1000 final together. According to Badminton England, they “looked like they were made for the big occasion” with their impressive win. Badminton England reported on the match.
The 2026 Yonex All England Open Badminton Championships, a BWF World Tour Super 1000 event, took place from March 3rd to March 8th at the Utilita Arena Birmingham. The tournament featured a total prize fund of $1,450,000. Wikipedia details the tournament information.
Despite the loss, Gicquel and Delrue demonstrated their resilience throughout the tournament, including a hard-fought semi-final victory over China’s Fang Hui Chen and Xin Wa Guo, the world number 6 ranked pair, with a score of 11-21, 21-18, 21-12.
The French duo will now look to regroup and prepare for their next challenge on the BWF World Tour. Their performance at the All England Open underscores their potential as a leading force in international badminton.
What’s Next: The badminton calendar continues with several upcoming tournaments across Europe. Players will now shift their focus to the Swiss Open and Orléans Masters, both Super 300 events, as they continue their campaigns on the BWF World Tour.
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