Malaysian mixed doubles veteran Lai Pei Jing hopes her partnership with Hoo Pang Ron will finally secure her first tournament title in four years after the pair advanced to the French Open final at the Arena Grand Paris.
Defeating Guo and Chen in Paris
The world No. 31 duo needed just 31 minutes to defeat China’s sixth-seeded Guo Xinwa and Chen Fanghui, posting a 21-13, 21-9 victory. The result follows a semi-final appearance at the Denmark Open the previous week. Following the match, the 34-year-old Pei Jing noted the physical and mental toll of their schedule, stating that everything was finally worth it.
“We are trying incredibly hard to win more matches, not only for ourselves but also to secure additional sponsorships,” Pei Jing said. “We simply focused on our own game and finding our rhythm on court. Everything flowed smoothly from there.”
Chasing the Final Jinx
Pei Jing’s last tournament victory came in 2022, when she partnered with Tan Kian Meng to claim the Korean Open title. Since then, she has experienced a persistent streak of runner-up finishes in championship matches. In just six months together, Pei Jing and the 28-year-old Pang Ron have finished as runners-up at the China Masters and reached the semi-finals of the Macau Open in June.
The pair turned independent in 2021. Following Kian Meng’s retirement, Pei Jing partnered briefly with Jimmy Wong, reaching seven finals without securing a title before forming her current partnership with Pang Ron.
Facing World No. 1 Feng and Huang
In the final, Pei Jing and Pang Ron face top-seeded Feng Yanzhe and Huang Dongping of China. The world No. 1 pair advanced by defeating France’s fourth-seeded Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue 19-21, 21-17, 21-19.
A victory in the final would make Pei Jing and Pang Ron the first Malaysian mixed doubles pair to win the Open in over two decades, following the triumph by Chan Chong Ming and Joanne Quay in 2000.
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