The French team performed well in the Thomas Cup. After eliminating the 14-time champion Indonesia in the group stage, France defeated 2022 champion India 3-0 to win all three singles titles.Christo Popov gave France an early lead by defeating Ayush Shetty 21-11, 21-9. Alex Lanier also recorded a straight-set victory over Kidabi Srikanth 21-18, 21-16, France 2-0. In a life-or-death race in India, HS Pranoi He ran out of steam against Toma Junior Popov and lost 19-21, 16-21.In the other semi-final, the Chinese team played against the Danish team, winning both games.Throughout the 39 minutes of the game, Popov was at his best and dominant against Ayush. The reigning World Tour Finals champion dominated the net and controlled the tempo of the match with multiple smashes on Ayush’s backhand corners.Ayush, who turns 21 on Sunday, admits Christo is too good. “I’m disappointed with today’s performance. Christo was solid today… He was very fast and put a lot of pressure on me,” Ayush said. “He used a lot of deception. This caught me off guard. I was inconsistent on the field. He surpassed me today,” Ayush added.India suffered a heavy blow early in the tournament with Lakshya Sen ruled out of the semi-finals due to swelling in his right elbow, which he injured while diving in Friday’s third quarter-final match.BAI general secretary Sanjay Mishra said in a statement: “Lakshay suffered a knock on his elbow during a heated quarter-final match that involved multiple dives. After a thorough evaluation by the team’s medical staff, the decision was taken as a precautionary measure to allow adequate recovery time for Lakshadweep and ensure he is in top condition for the final, should India advance.”The South Korean team will face the Chinese team in the Uber finalsMeanwhile, the South Korean team will face the Chinese team in the Uber Cup final. In the semifinals, the South Korean team defeated the Indonesian team 3-1, and the Chinese team swept the Japanese team 3-0.
