Toma Junior Popov
European champions France will take on defending champion China in the final of the Thomas Cup finals in Horsens, Denmark.
The Popov brothers – Christo and Toma Junior – help the French conjure a magical 3-0 win over 2022 champion India in the semi-finals. China as expected defeated 2016 champion Denmark 3-0 in their semi-final without much fanfare.
Nothing should be taken away from the dominant French victory over India, who missed the services of their top singles player Lakshya Sen.
With Lakshya, the Paris Olympic bronze-medalist, failing to take court after aggravating an elbow injury, India were forced to push youngster Ayush Shetty to first singles.
The world number 18, who had who stunned All-England champion Lin Chun-Yi to help his team seal off an impressive quarter-final sweep over Chinese Taipei, failed to replicate his form in the semi-finals.
He was outplayed in both games, losing 11-21, 9-11 to world number four and reigning BWF World Tour Finals champion Christo.
With the younger of the Popov brothers giving the French a dream start, next up was the match between the reigning European men’s singles champion Alex Lanier and Indian veteran Kidambi Srikanth.
The 20-year-old Lanier, put the French 2-0 ahead with a composed 21-16, 21-18 win, in the first ever meeting between the duo
Toma Junior defeated another Indian veteran H.S. Prannoy in the third singles to put the tie beyond doubt. Having beaten Prannoy in their only previous meeting at the All-England last year, Popov repeasted the feat with a 21-19, 21-16 win this time.
The match between China and Denmark was also over without requiring the full five matches.
The opening match saw the Shi Yuqi and Anders Antonsen, the world number one and three respectively, squaring off. While many expected to closely fought affair, Antonsen faded off after a strong start. Yuqi took the match 21-16, 21-8 to put the Chinese in the driving seat.
Liang Weikeng-Wang Chang improved their career record against Kim Astrup-Anders Skaarup Rasmussen to 5-1 with a clinical 21-18, 21-17 win in the first doubles.
World number seven Li Shifeng was expected to sail past the 41st ranked Magnus Johannsen in the second singles. It was the duo’s first time meeting each other and the Chinese shuttler was troubled by the gritty Dane.
But after taking the match to the Chinese in the first two games, the fast tiring Magnusson was outplayed 19-21, 21-18, 9-21 by Shifeng after a 73-minue battle
China will now in feature in their 15th final, seeking their 12th crown. As for France, they are seeking to be only the second European team to live the coveted Cup.
While, China will start the finals as the firm favourites, the French cannot be taken lightly.
With the Popov brothers also playing in the doubles, the finals is also likely to feature the three singles being played first.
Yuqi holds a 4-2 career record against Christo, but it was the French star, who had won their latest encounter in the BWF World Tour Finals last December.
Twenty-one-year-old Lanier has not beaten Shifeng in both their previous meetings. But the duo have not met each other since the three-match Shifeng victory at the Japan Open two years ago.
Likewise, Toma Junior has also lost both his previous meeting with Chinese number three Weng Honyang. But the Thomas Cup tends to surprise when least expected.
Will the tie conclude in the the first three singles or will the doubles will make the difference? China are marginally stronger in the doubles.
SEMI-FINAL RESULTS
China beat Denmark 3-0 (Shi Yuqi bt Anders Antonsen 21-16, 21-5; Liang Weikeng-Wang Chang bt Kim Astrup-Anders Skaarup Rasmussen 21-18, 21-17; Li Shifeng bt Magnus Johannsen 21-19, 18-21, 21-9)
France beat India 3-0 (Christo Popov bt Ayush Shetty 21-11, 21-9; Alex Lanier bt Kidambi Srikanth 21-16, 21-18; Toma Junior Popov bt H. S> Prannoy 21-19, 21-16)
