Margot Lambert and Camille Pognante became the first women’s pair from France to reach the semifinals of an HSBC BWF World Tour Super 500 event on Friday.

The duo stunned HYLO Open 2025 top seeds Gabriela and Stefani Stoeva 21-18 16-21 21-13 in a statement win that underlined the growing strength of France on the international stage.

Their breakthrough adds another feather to the nation’s badminton cap, following recent standout performances from mixed pair Thom Gicquel/Delphine Delrue and men’s singles talents Alex Lanier, Christo Popov and Arnaud Merkle.

Lambert and Pognante next face Chinese Taipei’s Chang Ching Hui and Yang Ching Tun for a spot in the final.

It was also a landmark day for Finland, Spain and Turkey in Saarbrucken with Kalle Koljonen, Ruben Garcia/Lucia Rodriguez and Bengisu Ercetin/Nazlican Inci booking their maiden semifinal appearances at this level. World No.55 Koljonen edged the higher-ranked Ayush Shetty 19-21 21-12 22-20 while Garcia and Rodriguez defeated Julien Maio/Lea Palermo 23-21 21-14. Ercetin/Inci advanced after Malaysian opponents Go Pei Kee/Teoh Mei Xing retired trailing 21-13 14-13.

With fresh faces from France, Finland, Spain and Turkey breaking new ground, European badminton is set for a strong finish to a momentum-filled season.

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS

• Lanier progressed to a semifinal clash with Jonatan Christie after seeing off Lakshya Sen 21-17 14-21 21-15 in 74 minutes.
• Sen’s 18-year-old compatriot Unnati Hooda surprised women’s singles fourth seed Lin
  Hsiang Ti 22-20 21-13 to reach her first Super 500 semifinal.
• Men’s doubles top seeds Aaron Chia/Soh Wooi Yik were sent packing by Sabar Karyaman Gutama/Moh Reza Isfahani Pahlevi 21-11 14-21 17-21.
• Kim Astrup/Anders Skaarup Rasmussen suffered a setback in their Race to Finals attempt, losing to Chiu Hsiang Chieh/Wang Chi-Lin 21-17 21-19.

→ Results (Quarterfinals)

→ Order of play (Semifinals)