India put in a clinical and commanding performance to beat Chinese Taipei 3-0 in the quarter-finals on Friday, May 1 to advance to the semi-finals of the Thomas Cup 2026. Lakshya Sen, the doubles duo of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty along with Ayush Shetty put in outstanding performances in India’s top four.
Lakshya Sen set the tone in the opening singles encounter against Chou Tienchen as she came back from a game down to record a hard-fought 18-21, 22-20, 21-17 victory. Sen rose again and showed his ability to absorb pressure and deliver in crunch moments.
Thomas Cup 2026 Quarter Final Highlights
Sen and Chou entered the match at 4–4 head-to-head and the contest lived up to expectations and turned into a head-to-head battle. Both players overcame significant deficits in the first two games to force a decision. While Chou fought back from 10-15 down to take the opening game, Sen responded by recovering from 14-17 down in the second and saving two match points to stay alive.
The momentum changed repeatedly, but Sen held his nerve in the decider and maintained a slim lead with aggressive, controlled attacking play. The two-time All England finalist ensured he stayed in front at key stages, eventually sealing the match and handing India a vital 1-0 lead for the tie.
More to follow
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Issued by:
sabyasachi chowdhury
Published on:
01 May 2026 18:06 IST
