PETALING JAYA: National mixed doubles pair Hoo Pang Ron-Lai Pei Jing created history today by becoming the first Malaysian mixed doubles pair to enter the French Open final in the tournament’s 117-year history.
The world No 31 pair took just 31 minutes to defeat their sixth-ranked Chinese opponents Guo Xin Wa-Chen Fang Hui 21-13, 21-9 in the World Tour Super 750 event at the Arena Grand Paris.
In tomorrow's final, they will face either China’s world No 1 pair Feng Yan Zhe-Huang Dong Ping, or fourth-ranked pair Thom Gicquel-Delphine Delrue of France.
This will be the second Super 750 final in three tournaments since last month for professional shuttlers Pang Ron-Pei Jing, who only started playing as a pair in May.
They were runners-up at the China Open last month and semi-finalists at last week’s Denmark Open.
Pang Ron, 28, and Pei Jing, 34, have proven to be the dark horses of the tournament, having defeated higher-ranked rivals on their way to the final.