BWF World Championships 2026: France reaches two historic finals in New Delhi
Synopsis
France has never reached a BWF World Championships final — until now. On a single semifinals day in New Delhi, Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue upset the second seeds to make mixed doubles history, while Alex Lanier booked a men's singles final spot. Meanwhile, India's Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand ended a 15-year women's doubles medal drought with a bronze — making 22 August a day to remember for both nations.
Key Takeaways
Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue became the first-ever French finalists in BWF World Championships history, defeating second seeds Jiang Zhen Bang/Wei Ya Xin 19-21, 21-13, 21-11 .
Alex Lanier (9th seed) beat Victor Lai of Canada 16-21, 21-13, 21-14 to reach the men's singles final — giving France two finals on the same day.
Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand (world ranked 39th ) won India's first women's doubles medal in 15 years , ending a drought since Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa in 2011 .
Defending champion Akane Yamaguchi (JPN) is one win away from a fourth world title after defeating Pornpawee Chochuwong 21-12, 21-17 .
All semifinals matches were played at Indira Gandhi Stadium , New Delhi , on 22 August 2026 .
France scripted history at the BWF World Championships 2026 on 22 August, securing berths in two finals at the Indira Gandhi Stadium in New Delhi — a feat the nation has never achieved before in the tournament's storied history. The French doubles pair and a singles contender both advanced on a dramatic semifinals day that also saw India exit with a landmark bronze.
Gicquel and Delrue Make History in Mixed Doubles
Fifth-seeded mixed doubles combination Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue became the first-ever French finalists in BWF World Championships history, overcoming second-seeded Chinese pair Jiang Zhen Bang and Wei Ya Xin in a riveting three-game contest. The French duo recovered from dropping the opening game to dominate the decider, racing to a 12-0 lead and holding firm under late Chinese pressure to win 19-21, 21-13, 21-11. The upset of the second seeds underlines France's growing clout in the mixed doubles discipline on the world stage.
Lanier Books Men's Singles Final Spot
Ninth seed Alex Lanier joined his compatriots in the final after a hard-fought 85-minute men's singles semifinal against Canada's seventh seed Victor Lai. Lanier dropped the opening game but regrouped decisively, winning 16-21, 21-13, 21-14 to secure France's second final berth of the day. With two players in Sunday's finals, France stands on the cusp of its most successful World Championships campaign to date.
India's Historic Women's Doubles Bronze
The French heroics came on the same day that India ended its campaign with a landmark achievement. Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand, ranked 39th in the world, pushed world number one Chinese combination Liu Sheng Shu and Tan Ning hard before going down 18-21, 21-13, 21-8 in the women's doubles semifinal. Their run to the last four — which included victories over three seeded pairs — ended India's 15-year wait for a women's doubles medal at the World Championships, a drought that stretched back to Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa's medal in 2011. The bronze is a significant marker for Indian women's doubles, a category that has long struggled to make an impact at the elite level.
Yamaguchi Closes In on Historic Fourth Title
In the women's singles, defending champion Akane Yamaguchi of Japan moved a step closer to an unprecedented fourth world title, dismissing Thailand's tenth seed Pornpawee Chochuwong 21-12, 21-17 in a commanding performance. Second-seeded Yamaguchi will contest the final as the heavy favourite.
Key Results from Semifinals Day
Men's Singles: Alex Lanier (FRA, 9) bt Victor Lai (CAN, 7) 16-21, 21-13, 21-14
Women's Singles: Akane Yamaguchi (JPN, 2) bt Pornpawee Chochuwong (THA, 10) 21-12, 21-17
Women's Doubles: Liu Sheng Shu/Tan Ning (CHN, 1) bt Gayatri Gopichand/Treesa Jolly (IND) 18-21, 21-13, 21-8; Baek Ha Na/Lee So Hee (KOR, 3) bt Li Yi Jing/Luo Xu Min 21-17, 21-12
Mixed Doubles: Feng Yan Zhe/Huang Dong Ping (CHN, 1) bt Amri Syahnawi/Nita Marwah (INA) 20-22, 21-14, 22-20; Thom Gicquel/Delphine Delrue (FRA, 5) bt Jiang Zhen Bang/Wei Ya Xin (CHN, 2) 19-21, 21-13, 21-11
Finals day on Sunday will feature France bidding for a historic double, while Yamaguchi chases a fourth world crown that would place her among the sport's all-time greats.
Point of View
The Treesa-Gayatri bronze is significant not just as a result but as a signal: the women's doubles pipeline, long neglected, is finally producing world-class competitors. Yet the contrast is telling — India celebrated a semifinal exit while France contested two finals. The gap between producing medal-worthy players and building a system that routinely reaches finals is where Indian badminton still has work to do.
NationPress
23 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Which French players reached the BWF World Championships 2026 finals?
Mixed doubles pair Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue, and men's singles player Alex Lanier both reached the finals at the BWF World Championships 2026 in New Delhi on 22 August. Gicquel and Delrue are the first-ever French finalists in the tournament's history.
What was India's result at the BWF World Championships 2026?
India's Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand won a women's doubles bronze medal — the country's first in that category in 15 years. They lost to world number one pair Liu Sheng Shu and Tan Ning of China in the semifinals, 18-21, 21-13, 21-8.
Why is Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand's medal historically significant?
Their bronze ended India's 15-year wait for a women's doubles medal at the BWF World Championships. The last time India won such a medal was in 2011, when Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa achieved the feat. Jolly and Gopichand are ranked 39th in the world and defeated three seeded pairs to reach the semifinals.
Is Akane Yamaguchi going for a fourth world title?
Yes. Defending champion Akane Yamaguchi of Japan defeated Thailand's Pornpawee Chochuwong 21-12, 21-17 in the women's singles semifinal and will contest the final, where a win would give her an unprecedented fourth BWF World Championships title.
Where are the BWF World Championships 2026 being held?
The BWF World Championships 2026 are being held at the Indira Gandhi Stadium in New Delhi, India. The semifinals took place on 22 August, with finals scheduled for the following day.
