India’s top-ranked men’s shuttler, Lakshya Sen, will miss the Thomas Cup 2026 semifinal against France on Saturday due to injury, the Badminton Association of India (BAI) confirmed.

“Lakshya sustained an impact to his elbow following an intense quarterfinal match that involved multiple dives.

“Following a thorough evaluation by the team’s medical staff, the decision has been taken as a precautionary measure to allow Lakshya adequate recovery time and ensure he is in optimal condition for the final, should India progress,” the statement from BAI secretary general Sanjay Mishra read.

“He is currently under close medical observation and receiving all necessary support. The team remains confident and optimistic about his swift recovery and return to peak form,” Mishra added.

Lakshya had beaten higher-ranked Chou Tien Chen 18-21, 22-20, 21-17 in the first match of the quarterfinal, paving the way for India’s eventual 3-0 win.

Ayush Shetty, Kidambi Srikath and HS Prannoy will be the Indian athletes involved in the men’s singles ties. Satwik Rankireddy/ Chirag Shetty and M. Arjun/ A. Hariharan will be the pairs involved in the doubles fixtures.

Published on May 02, 2026