How a Red Card Cost Delrue and Gicquel the French Open Semifinal

French Badminton Pair Suffers Penalty Heartbreak at Internationaux de France

Playing at the Arena Grand Paris on October 24, 2026, French mixed doubles pair Delphine Delrue and Thom Gicquel lost their semifinal match against world number ones Feng Yanzhe and Huang Dongping after a controversial red card for time wasting cost them a decisive point at 19-19 in the third game.

Arena Grand Paris Sets the Stage for a World Championship Rematch

The semifinal clash brought together a rematch of the previous World Badminton Championships final, where Delrue and Gicquel had defeated the Chinese duo to claim the world title. Both pairs returned to the court at the Arena Grand Paris with intensity, splitting the opening two games in a match that showcased a stratospheric level of international badminton.

RED CARD in French Open Semifinal! Gicquel/Delrue's Immediate Reaction

Time Violation at 19-19 Sparks Decisive Penalty

With the score tied at 19-19 in the third and final game following a grueling rally, the French pair paused to lower their heart rates amid the noise from the stands. The match umpire, monitoring the 25-second countdown timer, deemed that the players exceeded the allotted time limit. Having already received a warning during the first game, the pair was issued a red card resulting in an automatic point penalty. The sanction immediately handed a 20-19 advantage to Feng and Huang without a shuttlecock being played.

Delphine Delrue Reflects on an Abrupt Finish

Capitalizing on the penalty, the Chinese pair closed out the match on the very next point to secure their place in the final. Speaking afterward, Delrue expressed her frustration with the sudden turning point. “How to ruin a crazy match in one second?” Delrue said, describing the feeling of missing a final chance to play for the win. “We feel like we didn’t lose, we are just missing one point to play in the match. If we had lost by losing the last two points because they were better, it would have been a little easier to digest. There, we are just super sad to lose like this, and not to come back tomorrow in front of this incredible public.”