Nichole Gonzales Chan, a young and rising mixed doubles badminton shuttler, surprised fans with raw emotions during her title-winning moment at the All England Open Badminton Championships 2026.

Although Nicole is very quiet and focused on the court while playing, she admitted that the intensity of the moment pushed her to act differently.

Nicole won the All England Open 2026 title in the mixed doubles category with Ye Hong Wei by beating France’s Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue in straight games, 21-19, 21-18, in the final.

While talking about her winning moment, she said, “Yes, I was very excited. I would not normally shout on court because I feel it disrupts my rhythm. But today I was really nervous.” 

When asked about her unusual manner on court, Nicole Gonzales Chan said that she was so nervous that playing without shouting was not possible.

The situation forced her to shout during the decisive moments. “During those decisive points, I would not have been able to play without shouting. So I needed to shout," Nicole added. 

A Historic Title Win for Nicole Gonzales Chan and Ye Hong Wei

The title won is a historic one for Nicole Gonzales Chan and her partner. Before the recently concluded All England, the duo had not won any major Super 1000-level title.

Hong also talked about how big this achievement is. “I think I have only ever won one Super 100 and one Super 300 title. The Super 500s and Super 750s, I think the best result we had was a semifinal place. Being able to win today is a great achievement.”

Hong also stressed their record and not winning against some of the world’s pairs. “I still can’t believe it. Up until today, we have never beaten them, either the Hong Kong or French pairs; we have never won against them.”

Looking back, Gonzales Chan’s rare on-court celebration was simply a reflection of the magnitude of the moment. For a player known for her quiet demeanor, the outburst showed just how much the victory meant.

The pair has also started well in the Swiss Open 2026. They won the first round by beating Thailand’s pair, Phuwanat Horbanluekit and Benyapa Aimsaard, in two straight sets by 21-19 and 21-16. They are now set to face ZHU Yi Jun and LI Qian in the Round of 16.

Written by

Kapil Manghnani

Edited by

Kaamna Dwivedi