Horsens, May 1: Former champions India have secured a place in the semifinals of the Thomas and Uber Cup Finals 2026 by establishing an unassailable 3-0 lead against Chinese Taipei. This marks India’s second consecutive semifinal appearance, having reached this stage 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, the Indian men’s team finished second behind China. On Friday in Horsens, Denmark, India took the lead with a victory from Lakshya Sen, who defeated Chou Tien-Chen 18-21, 22-20, 21-17. After losing the first game, Sen made a remarkable comeback, winning the match in 88 minutes.
In 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 win for India by defeating Lin Chun-Yi in straight games, 21-16, 21-17, ensuring a 3-0 lead. India will face the winner of the match between France and Japan in the semifinals on Saturday, with the tournament concluding the following day with the final match.
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 might slip 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 outmaneuvered Chen, taking a significant lead early in the set, leaving the Chinese Taipei star struggling to respond. Although Chen attempted to close the gap towards the end, Sen secured the match, solidifying India’s victory.
In the doubles match, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty made a strong comeback after trailing 18-20, winning the first game 23-21. The second game was closely contested, with both pairs tied at 8-8 initially. The Indian duo appeared poised to finish the match in straight games with a 14-11 lead, but the Chinese Taipei pair mounted a strong comeback, winning the second game and forcing a decisive third game.
In the final game, the Indian pair dominated from the start, establishing 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 sealing the match and giving India a 2-0 lead.