Denmark’s Odense buzzed with badminton action as India’s Thomas and Uber Cup hopes took a hit: Lakshya Sen, the men’s singles star ranked world No. 6, will miss the semifinal against France. The culprit? An elbow niggle from relentless court dives in the quarterfinal triumph over Taipei.
Team doctors, prioritizing long-term fitness, have rested Sen to allow full recovery—crucial if India storms into the final. His quarterfinal heroics set the tone, overcoming Chou Tien Chen in a 1-hour-28-minute epic: 18-21, 22-20, 21-17. Saving two match points and flipping a tied 4-4 head-to-head, Sen’s comeback grit was on full display.
From Chou’s first-game surge after trailing 10-15 to Sen’s second-game revival from 14-17, the match swung dramatically into a third-game masterclass by the two-time All England finalist. India’s momentum carried forward as Rankireddy-Shetty duo powered to a 2-0 lead, before Ayush Shetty dismantled Lin Chun-yi 21-16, 21-17.
Shetty’s seven-point streak turned the first game, and he never looked back in the second during their 48-minute battle. Undefeated in group stages, the 2022 champs whitewashed Taipei 3-0. Now, eyes on the Japan-France semifinal winner for a shot at glory. Sen’s setback tests India’s bench strength, but their quarterfinal dominance signals title contention remains alive.
