India reach Thomas Cup semifinals with thumping 3-0 win over Chinese Taipei: Ayush Shetty, Satwik-Chirag, Lakshya Sen deliver
Second Thomas Cup medal assured, as Sen defeats Chou Tien Chen of Chinese Taipei 18-21, 22-20, 21-17; Satwik-Chirag record statement win over Wang Chi Lin and Chiu Hsiang Cheh, 23-21, 19-21, 21-12 and Ayush Shetty wraps it up 21-16, 21-17
Ayush Shetty played a lion-hearted rally, defending to all corners gladiatorially before sending a toss within bounds, to reach match point. When Lin Chun-Yi send the next return long, the 20-year-old had secured for India its second Thomas Cup medal, and an entry into semifinals at Horsens. The no-stress, clinical win gave India a 3-0 win.
India play winners of Japan vs France in semis on Saturday.
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty boomed when the bombast was needed for India, delivering a high octane match against Chinese Taipei’s Wang Chi Lin and Chiu Hsiang Cheh to win, 23-21, 19-21, 21-12. India’s best performing shuttlers of the last 4 years, had been instrumental in India’s 2022 Thomas Cup title win. But facing off against the Taiwanese double Olympic champion Chi Lin, pairing with Chiu Cheh, the big guns had fired to put India 2-0 up.
Back in 2022 at Thailand, Satwik-Chirag had lost to 2021 and 2024 Olympic winners Lee Yang-Wang in the group tie – a match that sent Chirag Shetty into a funk, as he disappeared from his Thailand room, and spent the night clearing his head talking to a psychologist. Taiwan tends to be an edgy faceoff. The Indians would fall 18-20 behind, mostly from nervous returns as the Taiwanese angled the shuttles into their bodies.
However, this time, the Indians soared in attack, drawing out the lifts at the right time, to go for their iconic 1-2 attacks, playing front and back. If a Satwik-smash didn’t get you, Chirag’s steep hit, did. They would up the ante on their aggressive attack to take the opening set.
Chirag is known to be nervous on clutch points, but there are more matches he’s won after erring, than not. But when his serve got faulted to give Taiwan a 16-15 lead, Chirag seemed to be down a familiar slope. India would lose the second 19-21, as both Satwik and Chirag’s defense came under fire.
It had all been too much for Chirag and he was pumped up in the decider as the Indians took a massive 10-4 lead. Satwik ensured he drew out the short lifts and the Indians – a touch why of attacking in the second, dawdling a tad, went all out in the third.
The Taiwanese rely on speed, and not so much of spin and tumble serve variations. So the Indians switched to attacking mode soon enough, and rained down smashes, also attacking into the Taiwan duo’s ribs. To stabilise a rally, Satwik would send lobs and tosses and pace-off loopy lifts to the corners, expertly manoeuvering rallies with the threat of the smash attack – as Chirag regained his growling edge with three straight smash kills.
The mistakes? They happened, but only spurred Chirag on even more. At 19-12 came the decisive moment, when Chirag’s deep push dissected the Taiwanese. From there smashes were summoned to vroom to a win, as India’s big guns fired.
Earlier, Lakshya Sen pulled off a dramatic comeback from being match point down, as he gave India a 1-0 lead, defeating Chou Tien Chen 18-21, 22-20, 21-17.
Sen led the opener 15-12, and the 18-17 even, before Tien Chen’s used his shuttle control on drops to leap over the Indian and take 5 straight points as the Taiwanese took the opener 21-18. Sen’s errors at the net saw him fumble to finish.
Sen seemed down and out in the second at 9-14 down, hos smashes going wide. Things got heated for him when after the highest of control dribbles, his net tap saw the racquet hang onto the other side, and cop a net fault. He wasn’t very happy. Earlier, Sen had started his upclimb at 10-14 with a Beckham-like curler, a clear played from next to the sideline, which properly drifted out and then swerved right back, to land in.
However that net fault called on him, nicely infuriated him. Sen did not shy away from playing those tight, taut dribble exchanges at the net – just sought to execute them accurately. Still, Tien Chen, a cancer survivor aged 36, and consistent World No 6, exhibiting racquet skills that are the envy of many, reached 17-13 in the second, 4 points away from a win.
Sen epuld play three of the most tactically astute rallies next coming to within 16-17 with a gorgeous drop. The net errors would continue into the second, as the Taiwanese held two match points at 20-18. Sen however would stay patient in the rallies against one of badminton’s most proficient stroke players, retrieve with discipline, and keep working for the net eyeball dominance. His crosscourt smashes were whizzing too, though he would finish 22-20 at the net, flicking the bird over Tien Chen after yet another net skirmish.
The daflis of Indians, and mini vuvuzelas and horns of Taiwanese created one right din as the decider unfolded.
Denied the win in straight two, Tien Chen knew the momentum had turned.
The wonder about Sen’s big smashes that got thwacking, giving him the 11-7 lead was, that earlier in the match he had landed awkwardly diving and reaching out for a flank shuttle, and the elbow had taken a shock thumping. Sen’s smashes are reliant on the elbow flex – they are forehand catapults. But it was these aggressive smashes and that explosive net stride that won him the crucial opener.
Tien Chen, never giving up, came to within 13-10, but was exhausted and picking up errors that would’ve otherwise crossed the net. The rallies, as happens in badminton, got even more intense, but Sen would pull out the smash when needed, and bring out the drops to make the Taiwanese move. Sen’s net precision was most evident as he took the 14-10 lead, executing the dribble who-blinks-first expertly. But Sen was not to be denied again, and he centered to the finish, surviving heart-stopping slow-burning rallies to prevail in the decider.
The match was won again at the net, though the masterful point came at the 20-17 juncture, through an expansive cross court smash that travelled the diagonal of the court landing plum near the opposite corner. India was jaunting ahead, 1-0 up.
Coach Vimal Kumar said, “Brilliant Lakshya..great start. Lakshya and Chou Tien’s encounters have always been exciting. It is an important win for us.”
Ayush Shetty played a lion-hearted rally, defending to all corners gladiatorially before sending a toss within bounds, to reach match point. When Lin Chun-Yi send the next return long, the 20-year-old had secured for India its second Thomas Cup medal, and an entry into semifinals at Horsens. The no-stress, clinical win gave India a 3-0 win.
India play winners of Japan vs France in semis on Saturday.
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty boomed when the bombast was needed for India, delivering a high octane match against Chinese Taipei’s Wang Chi Lin and Chiu Hsiang Cheh to win, 23-21, 19-21, 21-12. India’s best performing shuttlers of the last 4 years, had been instrumental in India’s 2022 Thomas Cup title win. But facing off against the Taiwanese double Olympic champion Chi Lin, pairing with Chiu Cheh, the big guns had fired to put India 2-0 up.
Back in 2022 at Thailand, Satwik-Chirag had lost to 2021 and 2024 Olympic winners Lee Yang-Wang in the group tie – a match that sent Chirag Shetty into a funk, as he disappeared from his Thailand room, and spent the night clearing his head talking to a psychologist. Taiwan tends to be an edgy faceoff. The Indians would fall 18-20 behind, mostly from nervous returns as the Taiwanese angled the shuttles into their bodies.
However, this time, the Indians soared in attack, drawing out the lifts at the right time, to go for their iconic 1-2 attacks, playing front and back. If a Satwik-smash didn’t get you, Chirag’s steep hit, did. They would up the ante on their aggressive attack to take the opening set.
Chirag is known to be nervous on clutch points, but there are more matches he’s won after erring, than not. But when his serve got faulted to give Taiwan a 16-15 lead, Chirag seemed to be down a familiar slope. India would lose the second 19-21, as both Satwik and Chirag’s defense came under fire.
It had all been too much for Chirag and he was pumped up in the decider as the Indians took a massive 10-4 lead. Satwik ensured he drew out the short lifts and the Indians – a touch why of attacking in the second, dawdling a tad, went all out in the third.
The Taiwanese rely on speed, and not so much of spin and tumble serve variations. So the Indians switched to attacking mode soon enough, and rained down smashes, also attacking into the Taiwan duo’s ribs. To stabilise a rally, Satwik would send lobs and tosses and pace-off loopy lifts to the corners, expertly manoeuvering rallies with the threat of the smash attack – as Chirag regained his growling edge with three straight smash kills.
The mistakes? They happened, but only spurred Chirag on even more. At 19-12 came the decisive moment, when Chirag’s deep push dissected the Taiwanese. From there smashes were summoned to vroom to a win, as India’s big guns fired.
Earlier, Lakshya Sen pulled off a dramatic comeback from being match point down, as he gave India a 1-0 lead, defeating Chou Tien Chen 18-21, 22-20, 21-17.
Sen led the opener 15-12, and the 18-17 even, before Tien Chen’s used his shuttle control on drops to leap over the Indian and take 5 straight points as the Taiwanese took the opener 21-18. Sen’s errors at the net saw him fumble to finish.
Sen seemed down and out in the second at 9-14 down, hos smashes going wide. Things got heated for him when after the highest of control dribbles, his net tap saw the racquet hang onto the other side, and cop a net fault. He wasn’t very happy. Earlier, Sen had started his upclimb at 10-14 with a Beckham-like curler, a clear played from next to the sideline, which properly drifted out and then swerved right back, to land in.
However that net fault called on him, nicely infuriated him. Sen did not shy away from playing those tight, taut dribble exchanges at the net – just sought to execute them accurately. Still, Tien Chen, a cancer survivor aged 36, and consistent World No 6, exhibiting racquet skills that are the envy of many, reached 17-13 in the second, 4 points away from a win.
Sen epuld play three of the most tactically astute rallies next coming to within 16-17 with a gorgeous drop. The net errors would continue into the second, as the Taiwanese held two match points at 20-18. Sen however would stay patient in the rallies against one of badminton’s most proficient stroke players, retrieve with discipline, and keep working for the net eyeball dominance. His crosscourt smashes were whizzing too, though he would finish 22-20 at the net, flicking the bird over Tien Chen after yet another net skirmish.
The daflis of Indians, and mini vuvuzelas and horns of Taiwanese created one right din as the decider unfolded.
Denied the win in straight two, Tien Chen knew the momentum had turned.
The wonder about Sen’s big smashes that got thwacking, giving him the 11-7 lead was, that earlier in the match he had landed awkwardly diving and reaching out for a flank shuttle, and the elbow had taken a shock thumping. Sen’s smashes are reliant on the elbow flex – they are forehand catapults. But it was these aggressive smashes and that explosive net stride that won him the crucial opener.
Tien Chen, never giving up, came to within 13-10, but was exhausted and picking up errors that would’ve otherwise crossed the net. The rallies, as happens in badminton, got even more intense, but Sen would pull out the smash when needed, and bring out the drops to make the Taiwanese move. Sen’s net precision was most evident as he took the 14-10 lead, executing the dribble who-blinks-first expertly. But Sen was not to be denied again, and he centered to the finish, surviving heart-stopping slow-burning rallies to prevail in the decider.
The match was won again at the net, though the masterful point came at the 20-17 juncture, through an expansive cross court smash that travelled the diagonal of the court landing plum near the opposite corner. India was jaunting ahead, 1-0 up.
Coach Vimal Kumar said, “Brilliant Lakshya..great start. Lakshya and Chou Tien’s encounters have always been exciting. It is an important win for us.”
