India’s campaign at the Thomas Cup Finals ended in the semis as they settled for a bronze medal after going down to France 0-3 at Horsens, Denmark.
India failed to win a single contest with HS Prannoy joining Ayush Shetty and Kidambi Srikanth in defeat, losing 19-21, 16-21 to world No. 17 Toma Junior Popov. The absence of Lakshya Sen also didn’t help India’s cause.
Champions in 2022, India had already assured themselves of a medal by reaching the semifinals, adding to their bronze finishes in 1952, 1955 and 1979.
India were dealt a big blow even before the tie began, as their top singles player Lakshya was ruled out with an elbow injury he picked up in the quarterfinals against Chinese Taipei. Without him, the team struggled to keep up with a confident French side.
In the first match, Ayush was outplayed by world No. 4 Christo Popov, who was sharp and in control throughout. He won comfortably 21-11, 21-9 to give France an early lead.
Next up, experienced Srikanth faced world No. 10 Alex Lanier. Srikanth put up a better fight, but Lanier stayed calm in crucial moments and won 21-16, 21-18, putting India under serious pressure.
With India trailing 0-2, Prannoy had to win to keep the tie alive against Toma Junior Popov. The first game was close, with Prannoy leading 19-18 at one point, but Popov finished strong to take it 21-19.
In the second game, Popov continued his attacking play and Prannoy couldn’t keep up. The Frenchman sealed it 21-16, helping France complete a dominant 3-0 win.
Earlier in the tournament, India had impressed by beating higher-ranked Chinese Taipei 3-0 in the quarterfinals to reach the semifinals.
