PETALING JAYA: France continued their dream run by storming into the final, setting up a blockbuster clash against defending champions China in the Thomas Cup Finals in Horsens.
On Saturday, the European side extended their fantastic campaign by knocking out 2022 champions India 3-0, once again relying on their singles strength at the Forum Horsens in Denmark.
They won all three matches in straight games, having also beaten Japan 3-0 in similar fashion a day earlier.
India rested their top player Lakshya Sen and fielded their young hotshot, world No. 18 Ayush Shetty, but world No. 4 Christo Popov proved unstoppable.
Christo needed just 39 minutes to dispatch Ayush 21-11, 21-9 to deliver the opening point.
World No. 10 Alex Lanier then upped the tempo by outplaying the experienced K. Srikanth 21-16, 21-18 in 41 minutes.
It was then the 27-year-old Toma Junior Popov’s turn to go for the winning point.
India relied on their experienced 33-year-old H. S Prannoy to keep the tie alive, but Toma battled hard for a 21-19, 21-16 win in 48 minutes to keep France’s hopes of winning their first Thomas Cup alive.
A day before the tie, Toma had said in an interview with the World Badminton Federation (BWF): "And now I think we put a great stamp on the French Badminton Federation and France itself for badminton, that we are coming, and we are ready to fight."
They will now aim to give a strong fight against the giants of badminton and 11-time Thomas Cup winners China in the final on Sunday (May 3, 12 midnight Malaysian time).
China prevented an all-European final by beating Denmark 3-0 in another semi-final tie on Saturday.
World No. 1 Shi Yuqi gave his side the first point after defeating world No. 3 Anders Antonsen 21-16, 21-5 in 44 minutes.
Top pair Liang Weikeng-Wang Chang faced little resistance as they took just 34 minutes to beat world No. 10 Kim Astrup-Anders Skaarup Rasmussen 21-18, 21-17.
Li Shifeng, ranked world No. 7, survived a slight scare as he took longer to get past world No. 41 Magnus Johannesen, eventually winning 21-19, 18-21, 21-9 in 73 minutes.
