The Indian men’s badminton team lost 0-3 to France on Saturday at Forum Horsens in Denmark. They finished their semi-final tie in the Thomas Cup 2026 with a bronze medal. India’s title chase came to an end because they could not win any of the first three singles matches against the French side.
A major injury to star player Lakshya Sen forced India to change their lineup just before the match began. Consequently, France reached their first-ever Thomas Cup final, while India accepted their fourth bronze medal in the tournament’s history.
France Dominates the Opening Singles Match
France took early control of the semi-final in the very first match. Young Indian shuttler Ayush Shetty, ranked World No. 18, faced France’s top player, Christo Popov. Popov currently holds the World No. 4 ranking and showed exactly why he is one of the best in the world.
Christo Popov used his high speed and power to pressure Shetty from the start. He won the match comfortably with a score of 21-11, 21-9 in only 39 minutes. This win gave France a 1-0 lead in the tie. Shetty later admitted that his game plan was not right and that Popov simply outclassed him on the day.
India Fights Back but Fails in Second Singles
In the second singles match, they fielded veteran player Kidambi Srikanth against France’s 21-year-old star, Alex Lanier. Lanier is ranked World No. 10. Srikanth started the match well and kept the scores close in the first game. Despite the effort, the French national won the first game 21-16.
In the second game, Srikanth tied the score at 15-15. Unfortunately, the Indian veteran allowed several unforced errors in the game. Lanier eventually won the game 21-18 that put France 2-0 ahead in the tie.
The Final Blow: France Reaches Maiden Final
With India trailing 0-2, HS Prannoy played Toma Junior Popov. Prannoy needed a victory to keep India’s hopes of reaching the final alive. In the first game, Prannoy actually led 19-18. However, Popov scored three points in a row to take the game 21-19.
In the second game, the French player used aggressive attacks to overwhelm Prannoy. Popov won the set 21-16, sealing a 3-0 victory for France. This win sparked huge celebrations as France became only the second European nation, after Denmark, to reach a Thomas Cup final.
Thomas Cup 2026 Semi-Final Match Results:
| Match | India | France | Scores | Winner |
| 1st Singles | Ayush Shetty | Christo Poov | 11-21, 9-21 | France |
| 2nd Singles | Kidambi Srikanth | Alex Lanier | 16-21, 18-21 | France |
| 3rd Singles | HS Prannoy | Toma Junior Popov | 19-21, 16-21 | France |
| 1st Doubles | Amsakarunan / Arjun | Adam / Rossi | Not Played | N/A |
| 2nd Doubles | Rankireddy / Shetty | Popov / Popov | Not Played | N/A |
SUGGESTED READ: Thomas Cup Winners List: You Won’t Believe Which Nations Dominated!
Why Lakshya Sen’s Absence Changed Everything
The biggest news before the match was that Lakshya Sen could not play. Sen had been India’s hero in the quarter-final win over Chinese Taipei. During that intense 88-minute match, Sen dived many times to return shots.
He suffered a bruised and swollen elbow after hitting the floor. The Badminton Association of India decided to rest him as a precaution. Former chief coach Vimal Kumar stated that Sen’s absence was felt at crucial moments. Without their top-ranked singles player, the rest of the team faced much higher pressure against an in-form French squad.
ALSO READ: Lakshya Sen, PV Sindhu Lead India After Satwik–Chirag Pull Out
Why India’s Satwiksairaj and Chirag Didn’t Play earlier
The Thomas Cup format alternates between singles and doubles matches. However, the rules changed for this specific tie because of the French lineup. The Popov brothers, Christo and Toma, play both singles and doubles for France.
According to BWF regulations, if a player is scheduled for both types of matches, they must finish their singles match first. Because both brothers were playing singles, the doubles matches were pushed to the end of the schedule. Since France won all three singles matches, the tie ended before the doubles could even begin.
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