French mixed doubles pair Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue rebounded from a semifinal exit at the Internationaux de France by defeating Algeria’s Koceila Mammeri and Tanina Mammeri in straight sets at the HYLO Open in Germany, securing their place in the tournament’s Round of 16.
From Paris Frustration to German Recovery
Four days after a red card ended their run at the Arena Grand Paris, world champions Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue returned to the court with a commanding 21-13, 21-17 victory over Koceila Mammeri and Tanina Mammeri. Ranked fourth in the world, the French pair controlled the pace from the opening rallies in Germany, sweeping past their opponents without conceding a set.
The victory provided a response following their exit at the Internationaux de France, Le Télégramme reported. Playing in front of a home crowd at Tremblay-en-France on October 24, 2026, Gicquel and Delrue had faced the world number-one Chinese duo, Feng Yan Zhe and Huang Dong Ping, in an intense semifinal encounter.
The Turning Point at the Arena Grand Paris
The semifinal match against Feng and Huang showcased the high-level competition standard of the world circuit. Delrue anchored the French defense with decisive net interventions while Gicquel applied offensive pressure, allowing the pair to claim a tightly contested first set 21-19 after converting their third set point, according to coverage from equipe-france.fr. The Chinese duo responded by sharpening their attack in the second frame, jumping to an early 5-1 lead and holding on to level the match with a 21-17 win.
The decisive third game shifted the momentum. After falling behind 11-7 at the interval, Gicquel and Delrue mounted a determined comeback to level the score at 19-19. At that exact juncture, the chair umpire issued a red card for delay of game prior to a service setup, following an earlier warning in the opening set. The resulting penalty point handed the Chinese pair a 20-19 advantage. Feng and Huang immediately converted the opening match point to close out the decider 19-21, 21-17, 21-19, ending the French campaign just short of a home final.
Maintaining Momentum on the European Circuit
Despite the disappointment in Paris, where Feng and Huang advanced to face Malaysian duo Hoo Pang Ron and Cheng Su Yin, Gicquel and Delrue quickly refocused their preparation for the German stop. Their August world championship victory over the same Chinese pair proved they could match the world’s elite, making their straight sets victory over the Mammeri siblings a straightforward transition back to winning form.
Seeded second at the German tournament, the French pair won their opening match cleanly. They established early leads in both games of their HYLO Open opener, neutralizing any tactical surprises from their opponents.
Upcoming Round of 16 Schedule
Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue advance directly to the mixed doubles Round of 16 at the HYLO Open, scheduled to take place on Thursday, October 29, 2026.
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