Thomas & Uber Cup 2024: India Bow Out in Quarters Despite Fierce Battles

India's journey at the BWF Thomas and Uber Cup 2024 in Chengdu concluded on a disappointing note as both the men's and women's teams were ousted in the quarterfinals on Thursday. Despite valiant efforts and competitive matches, the teams were unable to progress past their formidable opponents, China and Japan, respectively.

The men's team, led by Lakshya Sen, faced a strong Chinese squad. Sen continued his impressive form against Asian Games gold medalist Li Shi Feng, overcoming an early setback to secure a win in three sets, 13-21, 21-8, 21-14. Sen's victory, however, was the lone bright spot for India as the rest of the team struggled.

HS Prannoy, coming off health issues and a shoulder injury recovery, won the first set against Shi Yu Qi but faltered in the subsequent sets, losing 15-21, 11-21, 14-21. The doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty also faced defeat, going down 15-21, 21-11, 12-21 against Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang.

Reflecting on his performance, Sen mentioned the challenging conditions and the pressure of the scoreboard but praised the swift nature of the first two games which allowed him to conserve energy for a decisive third set.

The women's team, facing a tough Japanese side, also put up a resilient fight but ultimately fell 0-3. Ashmita Chaliha nearly upset World No. 11 Aya Ohori, saving a match point and leading in the decider before succumbing 10-21, 22-24, 15-21.

The doubles team of Priya Konjengbam and Shruti Mishra was overwhelmed by the World No. 4 pair of Nami Matsuyama and Chiharu Shida, losing 8-21, 9-21. Isharani Baruah started strong against former world champion Nozomi Okuhara but couldn't maintain the momentum, losing 15-21, 12-21.

This early exit was particularly disheartening as India had entered the tournament with high hopes after their previous performances. The men were the defending champions and expected to replicate or even improve upon their last outing.

The quarterfinal losses underscore the need for strategic improvements and possibly a reevaluation of preparation and player conditioning. As both teams reflect on their campaigns, the focus will inevitably shift to building on these experiences and preparing for future international challenges.

Quarterfinal Results:

Women: India lost to Japan 0-3 (Ashmita Chaliha lost to Aya Ohori 10-21, 22-20, 15-21; Priya Konjengbam/Shruti Mishra lost to Nami Matsuyama/Chiharu Shida 8-21, 9-21; Isharani Baruah lost to Nozomi Okuhara 15-21, 12-21)

Men: India lost to China 1-3 (HS Prannoy lost to Shi Yu Qi 21-15, 11-21, 14-21; Satwiksairaj Rankireddy/Chirag Shetty lost to Liang Wei Keng/Wang Chang 15-21, 21-11, 12-21; Lakshya Sen bt Li Shi Feng 13-21, 21-8, 21-14; Dhruv Kapila/Sai Pratheek K lost to He Ji Ting/Ren Xiang Yu 10-21, 10-21)