Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue scripted history on Sunday, becoming France's first-ever badminton World Champions after stunning world No. 1 pair Feng Yan Zhe and Huang Dong Ping
NEW DELHI — Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue scripted history on Sunday, becoming France's first-ever badminton World Champions after stunning world No. 1 pair Feng Yan Zhe and Huang Dong Ping in the mixed doubles final here.
The world No. 5 French pair overcame their Chinese opponents 22-20, 19-21, 21-15 in one hour and 18 minutes to claim the biggest title of their careers.
Bronze medallists at the last edition, Gicquel and Delrue produced a tactical masterclass, particularly at the net, where they successfully neutralised Huang's influence.
The French duo had shown strong form in the lead-up to the World Championships, finishing runners-up at the All England Championships and reaching the semifinals at the Indonesia and China Super 1000 tournaments earlier this year.
Another French player is on the cusp of history, with ninth seed Alex Lanier set to face Japan's Kodai Naraoka in the men's singles final.
Lanier will bid to become the first Frenchman to win the men's singles world title.
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