India Settles for Bronze at Thomas Cup 2026, France Makes History with Maiden Final Appearance
tarali 
After a four-year gap, India had to settle for a bronze medal, despite aiming to reclaim the gold in the Thomas Cup—a tournament often considered the “World Cup” of badminton. In the semi-finals, France defeated India with a 3-0 scoreline. The Indian team was somewhat weakened as Lakshya Sen was unable to take the court due to an injury. Christo Popov defeated Ayush Shetty in just 31 minutes with a score of 21-11, 21-9, offering little challenge. Experienced player Kidambi Srikanth put up some resistance but ultimately lost to Alex Lanier 16-21, 18-21.
With the hopes of reaching the final ending without a single win, HS Prannoy entered the court. Despite fighting hard in the first set, he was defeated by Toma Junior Popov with a score of 19-21, 16-21.
France has reached the Thomas Cup final for the first time in history. For India, this is their fifth medal in the competition. India previously won bronze in 1952, 1955, and 1977, and made history by winning the gold medal in 2022.
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