China Masters: Liu-Hsu stun world champions Gicquel-Delrue in straight games
Synopsis
Ranked 48th in the world, Liu Kuang Heng and Hsu Yin-hui pulled off one of the tournament's standout results — beating freshly crowned world champions Gicquel and Delrue in just 38 minutes at the BWF Super 750 China Masters. After saving a game point down 19-17, they turned the match on its head to win 23-21, 21-10, continuing a breakout run that already includes a US Open title.
Key Takeaways
Liu Kuang Heng and Hsu Yin-hui (Chinese Taipei, world No.
48 ) defeated world champions Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue at the China Masters in Shenzhen .
Final score: 23-21, 21-10 in 38 minutes — a straight-games victory.
Liu/Hsu recovered from 19-17 down in the first game, saved a game point, and dominated the second.
It was Gicquel/Delrue's first tournament since winning the world title two Sundays before the match.
The win extends Liu/Hsu's strong 2025 season, which includes a US Open title and a Canada Open final.
World No. 48 mixed doubles pair Liu Kuang Heng and Hsu Yin-hui of Chinese Taipei delivered one of the biggest upsets at the China Masters 2025, a BWF Super 750 event in Shenzhen, defeating newly crowned world champions Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue of France 23-21, 21-10 in just 38 minutes on Wednesday. The result ended the French pair's first tournament outing since claiming the world title just two Sundays prior.
How the Match Unfolded
The opening game was a tense affair. Liu/Hsu found themselves trailing 19-17 before staging a composed recovery — drawing level, saving a game point, and eventually clinching the opener 23-21. That turnaround proved decisive in shaping the contest.
Energised by their escape in the first game, the Chinese Taipei pair came out with far greater authority in the second, racing to a commanding 21-10 win to complete a straight-games victory over the reigning world champions.
What Liu and Hsu Said
'Knowing they had just become world champions, we naturally really wanted to challenge them; we wanted to beat them even more,' Liu said, according to BWF.
Liu also credited the psychological shift following their first-game comeback, noting that the pressure moved squarely onto their opponents. 'The pressure was on them and our mood was good. It allowed us to continue sticking to our style, with even more confidence,' he stated.
Hsu pointed to their attacking structure and preparation as the foundation of the win. 'It was our offence; we did what we were supposed to and executed our game plan well. That gave us the platform to build on early on,' she said. She added that improvements in communication and serve-receive patterns — areas the pair had worked on in training — were now delivering results on court.
Gicquel Admits French Pair Lost Their Way
Gicquel was candid about the defeat, acknowledging that the world champions struggled to maintain their rhythm after a reasonable start. 'It wasn't a good performance. The start was okay but then we got a bit stressed. We forgot to play and make them move,' he admitted.
The loss is a sharp reminder that world titles offer no immunity in the early rounds of a Super 750 event, particularly against opponents who have been building form across the season.
Liu/Hsu's Growing Momentum
The victory is part of a sustained upward trajectory for the Chinese Taipei combination. The pair won the US Open title in late June and reached the final of the Canada Open the following week, signalling that their ranking of 48 in the world may no longer reflect their true competitive level. Their run at the China Masters will be closely watched as they look to build on this high-profile scalp.
Point of View
The loss exposes a pattern common to newly crowned champions: the transition from the sustained intensity of a World Championship campaign to the grind of a Super 750 event can be brutal, especially when an opponent arrives with nothing to lose and everything to prove. How the French pair respond in their next outing will say as much about their resilience as the title itself did.
NationPress
2 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are Liu Kuang Heng and Hsu Yin-hui?
Liu Kuang Heng and Hsu Yin-hui are a mixed doubles badminton pair from Chinese Taipei, ranked world No. 48. They won the US Open in late June 2025 and reached the Canada Open final the following week before their upset win at the China Masters.
Who are Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue?
Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue are a French mixed doubles pair who were crowned BWF World Champions just two Sundays before the China Masters. Their first-round loss in Shenzhen was their first match since winning the world title.
What is the China Masters and why does it matter?
The China Masters is a BWF Super 750 tournament held in Shenzhen, one of the higher-tier events on the global badminton calendar. A Super 750 ranking carries significant world ranking points, making upsets at this level particularly impactful.
How did Liu/Hsu turn the match around?
Liu and Hsu were trailing 19-17 in the first game but recovered to level the score, saved a game point, and won the opener 23-21. Buoyed by that comeback, they dominated the second game 21-10 to complete a straight-games win in 38 minutes.
What did Gicquel say after the defeat?
Gicquel admitted it was not a good performance, saying the pair started reasonably but grew stressed and 'forgot to play and make them move' as the match progressed. He acknowledged they lost control of their usual style after a promising opening.
