French Open 2026: Hoo-Lai Outclassed by World No. 1 in Final

World No. 31 Malaysians Fall 10-21, 13-21 in 37 Minutes and Remain Without a Title This Season; Feng Yan Zhe-Huang Dong Ping Win in Paris for the Third Straight Year

Hoo Pang Ron and Lai Pei Jing’s search for a first title this season goes on. They lost to world No. 1 pair Feng Yan Zhe and Huang Dong Ping of China in the French Open mixed doubles final at Arena Grand Paris today.

The Malaysians were beaten in straight games, 10-21, 13-21, in 37 minutes.

The match was one-sided. Pang Ron and Pei Jing, ranked 31st in the world, were unable to put up a real fight and seemed to have no answer to Feng and Huang’s attacks. The Chinese pair led from the start and won the first game by 11 points and the second by eight.

It was the Malaysians’ third defeat in three meetings with the Chinese pair.

The result added to the Chinese pair’s record in Paris. Feng and Huang were top seeds. They won the French Open for the third straight year, having also taken the 2024 and 2025 titles.

The defeat was a disappointment after a good week for the Malaysians. They had earlier reached the final of the China Masters in September, finishing as runners-up, and the semi-finals of the Denmark Open last week.

Their French Open run was impressive. They came from a game down against China’s Gao Jia Xuan-Wu Meng Ying in the Round of 32, winning 14-21, 21-15, 21-15. They then beat Germany’s Marvin Seidel-Nguyen Thuc Phuong in a three-game quarter-final, 21-17, 20-22, 21-18. In the semi-finals, they swept aside sixth seeds Guo Xin Wa-Chen Fang Hui 21-13, 21-9 in 31 minutes.

The pair have only played together since May. Pang Ron is 28 and Pei Jing is 34. Two finals and two semi-finals in a few months show how far the new partnership has come.

Credit Photo : Media Mulia