New Delhi, 03 May (H.S.):

The Indian badminton team has had to settle for a bronze medal after losing the Thomas Cup 2026 semifinal to France 3–0. The dream of reclaiming the title won in 2022 ended at the semifinal stage, but the Badminton Association of India (BAI) has described the bronze on the world stage as a major achievement for Indian badminton.

The BAI said that while the colour of the medal may not have been the one the country hoped for, reaching the podium at such a prestigious global tournament is a significant milestone. In a message posted on the social‑media platform X, the association wrote that though the result did not favour India, the energy, determination, and fighting spirit shown on the court reminded the world why the team is regarded as champions.

The BAI added that the lessons, memories, and the bronze medal will now be taken back home with pride. In another post, it asserted that India remains one of the top national teams in the world, and the team’s repeated presence on the podium since Bangkok 2022 reinforces India’s dominance in the Thomas Cup.

France’s Christo Popov, Alex Lanier, and Toma Junior Popov all recorded straight‑game victories over India’s Ayush Shetty, Kidambi Srikanth, and H.S. Prannoy, respectively. The absence of star player Lakshya Sen, ruled out of the semifinal due to injury, was keenly felt and proved costly for the Indian line‑up.

In the opening singles match, Ayush Shetty could not withstand the pace and accuracy of world No. 4 Christo Popov, who dominated with a score of 21–11, 21–9 to give France an early 1–0 lead. In the second singles, the experienced Kidambi Srikanth put up a tough fight against Alex Lanier, but the Frenchman remained composed at crucial points to win 21–16, 21–18. With the tie slipping away, the third singles became a must‑win match for India.

H.S. Prannoy took an early lead against Toma Junior Popov, but the French shuttler used his speed and control to turn the match around and clinched victory 21–19, 21–16, sealing a 3–0 win for France and ending India’s campaign with the bronze medal.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar