Horsens, May 1: Former champions India have secured a place in the semifinals of the Thomas and Uber Cup Finals 2026 by establishing an unbeatable 3-0 lead against Chinese Taipei. This marks India’s second consecutive semifinal appearance, having reached the semifinals for the first time in 43 years in 2022. Previously, the Indian men’s team had reached the semifinals in 1952, 1955, and 1979.
In the group stage, India finished second behind China. On Friday, in Horsens, Denmark, India took the lead with Lakshya Sen’s victory. Sen defeated Chou Tien-Chen with a score of 18-21, 22-20, 21-17, making a comeback after losing the first game in a match that lasted 88 minutes.
In the men’s doubles, the former world number one pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty triumphed over Chinese Taipei’s Chiu Hsiang Chieh and Wang Chi-Lin. They won the match in three games with scores of 23-21, 19-21, 21-12.
Ayush Shetty then secured the third point for India by defeating Lin Chun-Yi in straight games, winning 21-16, 21-17. India will face the winner of the match between France and Japan in the semifinals on Saturday, with the tournament concluding with the final match the following day.
Lakshya Sen’s impressive comeback against Chou Tien-Chen provided India with a crucial advantage in the knockout stage of the Thomas Cup. At one point, it seemed the match was slipping away from the Indian player, as he faced three match points in the second game. However, he maintained his composure, saving all three match points and pushing the contest to a decisive game.
In the third game, the momentum shifted entirely. Sen outsmarted Chen with his strategy, quickly establishing a significant lead that left Chen struggling to respond. Although the Chinese Taipei star attempted to close the gap later, Sen clinched the match, securing India’s victory.
In the second match, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty made a remarkable comeback after trailing 18-20, winning the first game 23-21. The second game was equally competitive, with both pairs tied at 8-8 initially. The Indian duo looked poised to finish the match in straight games with a strong 14-11 lead, but the Chinese Taipei pair mounted a comeback, winning the second game and forcing a decisive game.
In the final game, the Indian pair dominated from the start, taking a 9-3 lead. They maintained a six-point advantage at the break and extended their lead to 13-6 and then 15-7, ultimately winning the match and giving India a 2-0 lead.
Deependra Singh Chundawat is a Senior Sub-Editor at Udaipur Kiran, specializing in a wide range of technology topics including mobile phones, applications, gaming, PCs, and wearables. Along with covering the latest tech news, he also creates engaging web stories. Passionate about emerging technologies, he stays up to date with the newest trends and enjoys reading and writing about the latest mobile launches and digital innovations.
