France will take on China in the Thomas Cup final.
It was a disappointing end to the Indian campaign at the Thomas & Uber Cup 2026 in Horsens, Denmark, as the men’s team lost 0-3 to France in the semifinals.
India, the 2022 Thomas Cup champions, beat a strong Chinese Taipei in the quarterfinals, but in the absence of an injured Lakshya Sen they faded away in semis.
India’s top singles player Sen, who won a key match against Chinese Taipei, hurt his elbow and had to withdraw against France.
Debutant Ayush Shetty then had to play the first singles against Christo Popov and was no match for the World No. 4 players. Shetty had shown good form during the match but just didn’t have enough firepower to tackle the pace of Popov and went down 21-11, 21-9.
Kidambi Srikanth and HS Pronnoy, who are part of India’s brilliant 2022 title winning campaign, could not produce their best. The two are past their prime and struggled against stronger opponents
World no. 10 Alex Lanier beat Srikanth 21-16, 21-18. Prannoy had his chances in the first game but Toma Junior Popov stepped up to win 19-21, 16-21.
It was a pity that the contest did not even reach the men’s doubles stage and India’s top combination Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty could not play any role in the tie with France wrapping up in first three singles.
“France completely overwhelmed India, and Lakshya’s absence was certainly felt at crucial moments. That said, this result also highlights just how much France has grown as a badminton nation—they’re progressing rapidly and competing with real authority at the highest level,” said former international and coach U Vimal Kumar.
History beckons France as they meet China in the Thomas Cup final. China defeated Denmark in the other semifinals.
“Looking ahead, France will carry strong belief into the final against China. With the form they’re in, they have every chance of making it a closely fought contest.”
“For India, this is a moment to regroup and come back stronger. The potential in this team is unquestionable,” said Vimal.
EOM
