European champions France stunned the badminton fraternity by qualifying for the semi-finals of the Thomas Cup for the first time ever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Also for the first time ever, two European nations have qualified for the semi-finals with hosts Denmark also qualifying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Denmark defeated Thailand 3\u20131, while France delivered an even more dominant performance, winning 3\u20130 against Japan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Denmark will face the reigning champions China, while France will take on the 2022 champions India in the semi-finals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The French victory, while not totally unexpected, has still shaken up the badminton hierarchy. Having beaten 14-time-champions Indonesia earlier in the week, the French firepower in the singles led by brothers Christo Popov and Toma Junior Popov was firing in all cylinders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Toma Junior who secured their first-ever Thomas Cup medal said:
\u201cI think it is just incredible. We are a bunch of young guys having fun. I think now we put a stamp on the map that France is really existing. Our name is France and we are here\u2014and I think in the future we are going to do some great things. I am pretty sure about that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Christo, the world No 4 and reigning BWF Super Series Finals champion, started the ball rolling for France with a 67-minute 21-17, 21-217 win over Kodai Naraoka.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After having lost the first three career encounters against the Japanese world number nine, the 24-year-old Christo has now won their latest three meetings, including in the semi-finals of the BWF Super Series Finals semi-finals an the Japan Open quarter-finals last year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Twenty-one-year-old reigning European champion Lanier, kept up to his superior ranking to put the French 2-0 up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The world number 10 picked up his first ever win over Yushi Tanaka, ranked 19, in four meetings. In what was their only their first meeting in 16-months, Lanier took 46-minutes to subdue Tanaka 21-15, 21-17.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Toma Junior, the elder of the Popov brothers at 27, clinched the winning point for France when he overcame a late resistance from Koki Watanabe 21\u201319, 23\u201321 in a match that lasted 64-minutes. It was his first win over the Japanese in three meetings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While the French will relish their chances against India, who had stunned Chinese Taipei, in the quarter-finals, Denmark will find the going tough against the mighty Chinese.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Danes, dropped the second singles when Magnus Johannesen lost to Panitchaphon Teeraratsakul 17-21, 12-21.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But the stunning 21\u201316, 11\u201321, 21\u201318 defeat of former world champion and current world number two Kunlavut Vitidsarn paved the way for A Danish triumph.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Denmalrk won both the doubles ties with Mathias Christiansen-Daniel Lundgaard clinching the winning point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mathias Christiansen said: \u201cWe are really happy and proud to deliver a result like this, and also on home soil.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
QUARTER-FINAL RESULTS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n THOMAS CUP<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Denmark beat Thailand 3-1 <\/strong>(Anders Antonsen bt Kunlavut Vitidsarn 21\u201316, 11\u201321, 21\u201318; Kim Astrup-Anders Skaarup Rasmussen bt Dechapol Puavaranukroh 16\u201321, 21\u20135, 21\u201317; Magnus Johannesen lost to Panitchaphon Teeraratsakul 17-21, 12-21; Mathias Christiansen- Daniel Lundgaard bt Chaloempon Charoenkitamorn-Worrapol Thongsa-nga 21-13, 21-17)<\/p>\n\n\n\n France beat Japan 3-1<\/strong> (Christo Popov bt Kodai Naraoka 21\u201317, 21\u201317; Alex Lanier bt Yushi Tanaka 21\u201315, 21\u201317; Toma Junior Popov bt Koki Watanabe 21\u201319, 23\u201321)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" European champions France stunned the badminton fraternity by qualifying for the semi-finals of the Thomas Cup for the<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":10023,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[75],"class_list":["post-12513","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-newsbeat","tag-badminton"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t