India Vs France Live Score, Thomas Cup 2026 Semi-final Updates: Ayush Shetty Goes Down In Match 1 | IND 0-1 FRA

And that's it. Christo Popov is too good today. Ayush Shetty just couldn't find an answer to the world No. 4's relentless pace and precision. Popov takes the match in dominant fashion, giving France a 1-0 lead.

The Bulgarian had 11 match points in his pocket and he didn't need many of them. Ayush watched the shuttle land beyond the backline and that was all she wrote. A tough loss for the Indian, but Popov was simply on another level today. France are up and running.

Christo's got a commanding nine-point lead now. It's 14-6 and France are looking like the solid favourite to go 1-0 up. Ayush is under a lot of pressure out there. Popov's been relentless, and the

Indian just can't find a way to stem the tide. Every rally feels like an uphill battle. Christo's controlling the pace, the court, everything really. Ayush needs something drastic here or this match is slipping away.

Game 2 is underway and Christo strikes immediately. Popov takes the first point as Ayush can't handle a shot aimed straight at his body. And then he just keeps coming.

Five more points in quick succession and it's already 2-6 to the Popov. Before Ayush can even settle in, Christo's seized control all over again. Same story as Game 1. The Indian's struggling to find an answer to Popov's pace and precision. This is looking bad for Ayush already.

Christo Popov takes Game 1 in dominant fashion. He was simply too good, too controlled, too relentless. Now the real question is whether Ayush can bounce back in Game 2.

The Indian's going to need to dig deep here. But look, he's not going down without a fight. Ayush wins three consecutive points to open Game 2, showing some signs of life.

But then it all falls apart in the next rally. He completely misses the shuttle and watches it land just short of the backline. A complete miss. That's the kind of moment that sums up his struggles so far.

Can he regroup or is Christo just too much today?

Looks like Christo's running away with it now. It's 18-8 and the Bulgarian has been absolutely relentless out there. Ayush did manage to grab a couple of points back, got it to 17-6, but by then the damage was already done.

Then the Indian went for an aggressive cross court smash and just couldn't keep it in, straight into the net. Unforced error at a crucial moment. And that's all Christo needed. He's got the momentum right back. Ayush is still fighting but this is slipping away from him fast.

Christo's on a roll now and oh boy, he's making Ayush chase. It's 10-4 and the Bulgarian is controlling everything. There's this relentless pace and intent to his game, Ayush just can't match it right now. Every shot Christo plays has a purpose, you know?

No easy lifts, no wafty clears for the Indian to work with. Instead, Popov's mixing it up beautifully, flat returns one moment, then a clever drop shot the next, and Ayush is getting dragged to the front court again and again.

He's being pulled all over the place, and Christo's loving it. The Indian needs to find something quick here.

We're off at Forum Horsens and what an opener. Christo Popov draws first blood, 1-0. But Ayush fires right back, 1-1. Then the next rally gets intense, back-and-forth, shuttle flying everywhere, and oh no, Ayush's shot finds the net. Frustrating. Popov takes 2-1.

Can the Indian shake this off and find his groove? The crowd's still with him.

India have been dealt a timely setback ahead of their semi-final clash against France at the Thomas Cup Finals 2026 on Saturday, 2 May at the Forum Horsens, with Lakshya Sen ruled out due to an elbow injury.

The 24-year-old, who produced one of the standout performances of the quarterfinals, is recovering from a swollen right elbow after a gruelling encounter against Chou Tien Chen.

Read the full story here.

India opened their campaign with a solid 4-1 win over Canada, though Lakshya Sen suffered a three-game defeat to Victor Lai in the lone setback. They then produced a dominant 5-0 sweep against Australia to build momentum.

In their clash with China, India were outplayed early and lost 3-2, with Ayush Shetty and HS Prannoy securing the two wins, including Prannoy taking the dead rubber. In the knockout round, Lakshya Sen led a strong response with a key comeback win, helping India cruise past Chinese Taipei 3-0 and seal their place in the semifinals.

• Ayush Shetty vs Christo Popov, followed by

• Kidambi Srikanth vs Alex Lanier

• HS Prannoy vs Toma Junior Popov

• Amsakarunan/Arjun vs Adam/Rossi

• Satwik/Chirag vs Popov/Popov

The India vs France Thomas Cup semi-final will be streamed live on JioHotstar with an active subscription and also on BWF TV, the official YouTube channel of the Badminton World Federation.

Greetings, we’re back with another live blog, it’s India vs France, so stay tuned for all the live updates.