Gicquel and Delrue Lose French Open Semifinal to Penalty Point

At the Yonex Internationaux de France de Badminton, French mixed doubles pair Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue fell 21-19, 16-21, 21-19 to Chinese opponents Yan Zhe Feng and Dong Ping Huang in a semifinal match, Aulnaylibre reported.

Aréna Grand Paris Hosts the 2026 Tournament

The Aréna Grand Paris in Tremblay-en-France served as the venue for the 2026 edition of the tournament. Spectators filled the stands for the event, taking in matches from a seating bowl configured for the venue. Local badminton history in the department runs through the Club Badminton d’Aulnay-sous-Bois (CBAB), whose team known as the Ducks reached the French Championship final in May 2019, losing 5-4 to Chambly in a decisive golden mix match.

YONEX French Open 2026 | Feng/Huang (CHN) [1] vs Gicquel/Delrue (FRA) [4] | SF

Semifinal Match Dynamics Against the World Number Ones

Playing as the tournament’s fourth seeds, Gicquel and Delrue pushed the world number one pair across three tightly contested sets. The French duo claimed the opening game 21-19. Feng and Huang responded by taking the second set 21-16 to force a decider, where the score climbed to 19-19 before the decisive sequence.

The Penalty Point at 19-19 in the Third Set

With the score tied at 19-19 in the final game, the chair umpire assessed a penalty point against Gicquel and Delrue for exceeding the 25-second limit permitted to serve. While the ruling followed the strict application of service regulations under electrifying arena conditions, it handed the Chinese pair a 20-19 advantage. Feng and Huang converted the ensuing point to close out the set 21-19, securing the match and advancing to the final amid whistles and jeers from the crowd.