October 29, 2022
Ben Lane and Sean Vendy’s superb YONEX French Open campaign came to an end with a semi-final defeat on Saturday.
The unseeded duo picked up three impressive victories as their recent run of fine form continued.
Lane and Vendy began their tournament with a comfortable first round win, defeating Danish duo Jeppe Bay and Lasse Molhede 21-19 21-7 to progress.
And in the second round, they battled from the brink of defeat to shock fifth seeds Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Rian Ardianto.
Having lost the opening game, Lane and Vendy came through an incredibly tight second game and ultimately sealed a 16-21 23-21 21-15 win over the Indonesian pairing, who are currently considered among the best in the world.
They produced another strong display in their quarter-final encounter against the Chinese pairing of Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang.
Lane and Vendy won a tight opening game and eventually ran away with the second, triumphing 25-23 21-10 to reach the last four at the Stade Pierre de Coubertin.
The English pairing faced a tough semi-final against the Chinese Taipei partnership of Lu Ching-Yao and Yang Po-Han.
Despite a sterling effort, Lane and Vendy struggled to find a consistent rhythm and fell 21-15 21-14 as their run came to a close, though there will be plenty of positives for them to take moving forward.
Elsewhere, Callum Hemming and Jess Pugh teamed up in the mixed doubles.
Hemming and Pugh’s quest came to an end in the opening round defeated 21-16 21-15 by Dutch duo Robin Taberling and Selena Pie, who have gone on to reach Sunday’s final.
