Thomas Cup Blow: India Outclassed by France in Semis, Take Home Bronze

Horsens (Denmark) — India’s campaign at the Thomas Cup came to an abrupt end after a 0-3 defeat to France in the semifinals at Forum Horsens on Saturday night.

France delivered a clinical performance to book their first-ever spot in the Thomas Cup final, while India had to settle for a bronze medal despite a strong run in the tournament.

India were dealt an early setback in the opening singles, where Ayush Shetty, stepping in for the injured Lakshya Sen, lost to World No. 4 Christo Popov 11-21, 9-21 in under 40 minutes. Kidambi Srikanth then put up a spirited fight but went down 16-21, 18-21 against World No. 10 Alex Lanier, handing France a 2-0 lead.

In the third match, HS Prannoy battled hard against Toma Junior Popov but eventually lost 19-21, 16-21, sealing a memorable victory for France.

India had entered the semifinals with confidence, marking only their second appearance in the last four of the prestigious team event after their historic title win in 2022. However, the absence of Lakshya Sen due to an elbow injury proved to be a significant blow, forcing a reshuffle in the lineup that ultimately didn’t pay off.

France, on the other hand, continued their dream run after earlier shocking Indonesia in the group stage and defeating Japan in the quarterfinals, underlining their rise as a formidable force in world badminton.

Result:
India lost to France 0-3
(Ayush Shetty lost to Christo Popov 11-21, 9-21; Kidambi Srikanth lost to Alex Lanier 16-21, 18-21; HS Prannoy lost to Toma Junior Popov 19-21, 16-21)

With inputs from IANS