Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue Advance to Hylo Open Final
French mixed doubles pair Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue secured a hard-fought three-set victory over Malaysia’s Hoo Pang Ron and Lai Pei Jing at the Hylo Open 2026, winning 22-20, 16-21, 21-17 to reach the tournament’s title match for the second year in a row.
BATTLE AGAINST HOO PANG RON AND LAI PEI JING
The semifinal match demanded maximum effort from the French duo after a demanding three-game battle in Germany. The opening game remained exceptionally tight as both pairs traded points blow for blow. A misjudgment by Hoo Pang Ron at a crucial moment handed the initiative to Gicquel and Delrue, allowing them to edge out the first set 22-20.
Encore une finale pour Thom Gicquel et Delphine Delrue !Les Français s'imposent en demi-finale de l'Hylo Open face à la paire malaisienne Hoo/Lai ! #lequipeBADMINTON pic.twitter.com/GDLcg06upa
The momentum shifted immediately in the second frame. The Malaysian pair capitalized on an extended lapse in concentration from the French duo to construct an 8-0 scoring run right at the start. Although Gicquel and Delrue managed to trim the deficit down to three points, they failed to generate enough pressure to truly trouble their opponents as the match leveled at one set apiece following a 21-16 scoreline in favor of Hoo and Lai.
DECISIVE THIRD SET SECURES TICKET TO THE TITLE MATCH
Responding with characteristic resolve, Gicquel and Delrue seized control early in the deciding third game. The French pair established a comfortable cushion on the scoreboard and successfully weathered late surges of pride from the Malaysian duo to close out the decider 21-17.
The victory marks a swift turnaround for the French athletes following their semifinal exit the previous week at the Internationaux de France. As runners-up at last year’s Hylo Open, the pair earned another opportunity to capture the German tournament trophy.
FINAL SHOWDOWN AWAITS AT THE HYLO OPEN
Television broadcaster La Chaine L’Équipe highlighted the qualification on social media, noting the significance of the win for the French representatives as they advanced past the Hoo and Lai pairing.
Encore une finale pour Thom Gicquel et Delphine Delrue ! Les Français s’imposent en demi-finale de l’Hylo Open face à la paire malaisienne Hoo/Lai ! #lequipeBADMINTON
— La Chaine L’Équipe
The victory set up a championship match appearance for Gicquel and Delrue, where they ultimately finished as runners-up of the mixed doubles competition after falling in the final (23-21, 21-15) to conclude their German campaign.
