Thomas Cup: No Lakshya, no party, as India get blown away by France 0-3 in semi-finals

Thomas Cup: India were blown away by France in the semi-finals of Thomas Cup on Saturday, May 2. With Lakshya Sen forced to sit out of the tie, India lost 0-3 in straight games against the French.

In Short

• France reached the final of Thomas Cup for the first time
• They are the only 2nd European nation to reach the finals
• HS Prannoy led early but faded as Toma Popov raised tempo

It felt more like a rowdy football match and less of a badminton competition when India took on France in the semi-finals of the Thomas Cup 2026 on Saturday, May 2. Despite hosts Denmark taking on China on the other court at the Forum Horsens Arena, Indian and French fans dominated the decibel meters, turning the semi-final into an electric, high-voltage clash.

The 0-3 scoreline, which saw India getting knocked out of the competition, does not do justice to the way the tie ebbed and flowed through the evening. There were many moments when the French camp fell silent, and many phases when their players looked under pressure and even a little shaken, but they somehow managed to pull off a victory. In doing so, they helped their nation register their first-ever final appearance in the tournament.

The French, led by Toma Junior Popov and Christo Popov, beat India in straight matches, helping France become only the second European nation, besides Denmark, to reach the finals of the competition. It was a historic moment for the Popov brothers, who carried the weight of the nation on their shoulders and produced exceptional badminton to beat a strong Indian side in straight games.

Without the services of Lakshya Sen, India’s calculations were thrown out of the window, as they were forced to play young Ayush Shetty in the first singles of the match, and then a 33-year-old Kidambi Srikanth in the second singles against world No. 10 Alex Lanier.

Lakshya, who had pulled off a sensational victory against world No. 6 Chou Tien-chen in the quarter-finals, was ruled out of the tie due to a swollen elbow and blisters on his feet. He watched on painfully as India were beaten in three straight matches in little more than two hours.

One can argue that India were put on the back foot even before the tie began, as the side could not field their strongest players against France’s best combination.

Because Christo Popov and Toma Junior Popov play both singles and doubles for the French team, the tie was not lined up in the usual manner. Instead of the traditional order, the matches were arranged as follows to ensure adequate rest for the French players:

• 1st Singles: Ayush Shetty (18) vs Christo Popov (4)
• 2nd Singles: Kidambi Srikanth (30) vs Alex Lanier (10)
• 3rd Singles: HS Prannoy (35) vs Toma Junior Popov (17)
• 1st Doubles: Hariharan/MR Arjun (34) vs Adam/Rossi (52)
• 2nd Doubles: Satwik/Chirag (4) vs Christo/Toma (21)

The arrangement was specifically done so that Toma and Christo would get a mandatory one-match break before their doubles fixture. Due to Lakshya’s absence, India’s singles players faced an uphill battle against higher-ranked opponents and eventually ended up being swept 0-3.

India’s best chance of winning this tie, the doubles matches, never even arrived, as the team failed to win a single singles match against France on Saturday.

AYUSH SHETTY FALLS SHORT

The stage seemed to get the better of the prodigiously talented Ayush Shetty on the day, as the left-handed Christo Popov toyed with him to win 21-11, 21-9 in just 39 minutes. The gulf in composure and control was evident from early on.

Ayush later reflected on his performance and admitted that he could not settle against Christo’s deception and relentless tempo.

"He was using a lot of deception, which caught me off guard. I was not really stable on the court. Overall, his pace was really high and he was putting me under pressure," Ayush Shetty said.

"My overall game plan was not right. I think he just outclassed me today," he added.

KIDAMBI GIVES HOPE

Dark clouds hovered over India after Ayush failed to stand his ground against Christo. It would not have been fair to expect that Kidambi Srikanth would dominate world No. 10 Alex Lanier in the second singles match.

But Kidambi tried, and he tried with intent. Playing his heart out, he brought old-school elegance to the court. He pushed Lanier deep, used clever slices, and redirected smashes with finesse, making the Frenchman run relentlessly across the court.

Lanier was flustered to the point that the French camp, extremely loud till then, sat back in their seats, almost willing the youngster to survive Kidambi’s experience and guile.

However, the veteran Indian shuttler’s accuracy let him down at crucial junctures. He repeatedly hit shots wide from strong attacking positions, allowing Lanier to stay in the contest and eventually take control. Srikanth ended up conceding the match in straight games.

Lanier roared in celebration after sealing a 21-16, 21-18 win against the 33-year-old, handing France a commanding 2-0 lead in the tie.

PRANNOY FIGHTS, BUT TOMA PREVAILS

The weight of the nation rested on HS Prannoy when he walked out for the third singles. Prannoy, who has battled multiple health issues over the past few years, produced arguably India’s most competitive performance of the day.

Facing Toma, Prannoy started brightly. The Indian camp found its voice again, with chants of “HSP, HSP” reverberating across the arena as he took the lead in the opening game, the first time India had seized control at any point in the tie.

But once again, accuracy proved costly. As Toma Popov increased the pace of the rallies, Prannoy’s reactions were just not quick enough to consistently keep up with the tempo.

Despite leading for most of the opening game, Prannoy let slip a two point advantage in the closing stages, eventually conceding it 19-21.

The second game tilted more in Toma’s favour, as he controlled the pace and dictated play. Prannoy mounted a brief comeback in the latter stages of the do or die game, but once again, unforced errors, particularly shots going wide, proved to be his undoing.

The final point of the match perhaps summed up the entire day for India. Forced into a frantic exchange at the net, Prannoy tried to smash his way through Toma’s defence. The Frenchman held on desperately, absorbing the pressure, until Prannoy finally hit into the net, conceding the game, the match, and with it, the tie.

HOW BIG WAS LAKSHYA’S ABSENCE?

Badminton coach Vimal Kumar reacted to the loss after the match. Speaking to India Today, he said that Lakshya’s absence was felt at crucial moments.

"France completely overwhelmed India today, 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 are progressing rapidly and competing with real authority at the highest level," Vimal said.

"Christo Popov continues to be a standout performer. Winning the year end Finals last season and delivering such dominant performances, like his exceptional display against Indonesia, where he convincingly beat Jonatan Christie, shows the level of confidence and quality he is bringing to the court. For India, this is a moment to regroup and come back stronger. The potential in this team is unquestionable," he concluded.

As India walk out of the Thomas Cup, there is an unmistakable feeling in the air that France have, in many ways, pulled off an India like run against India themselves. Back in 2022, during India’s title winning campaign, nobody gave Kidambi Srikanth’s side much of a chance. In 2026, not many would have bet on France to reach the final. Yet here they are, on the back of fearless youngsters who played their hearts out and made the Arena their own on this unforgettable night in Horsens.

- Ends