KUCHING: France tore up the script at the 2026 Thomas Cup, stunning 14-time champions Indonesia 4-1 in a ruthless Group D decider to book their place in the quarter-finals in Horsens, Denmark.
Needing four wins to stay alive, the French delivered with conviction and composure against a side long regarded as the tournament’s standard-bearer.
Christo Popov set the tone, edging Jonatan Christie 21-19 before pulling away 21-14 as the Indonesian struggled to recover after a tight opening game. It was the first crack, and France capitalised.
Alex Lanier doubled the lead, outplaying Alwi Farhan 21-16, 21-19 with measured control. Toma Junior Popov then delivered the decisive blow in a match that defined the tie.
Up against Anthony Sinisuka Ginting, Toma dropped the first game 20-22, but surged back 21-15, 22-20 in a high-stakes duel that drained Indonesia’s resistance.
France sealed the upset through doubles pair Eloi Adam and Leo Rossi, who held firm to beat Sabar Gutama and Moh Reza Pahlevi Isfahani 21-19, 21-19 for an unassailable 4-0 lead.
Indonesia salvaged a late point through Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Rian Ardianto, but by then, the damage was done.
Nothing clicked for Indonesia from the start. Christie’s early stumble set the tone, and the cracks only widened as France tightened their grip.
For the French, this was more than a win. It was a statement.
“We are more than proud,” said Toma Junior Popov in an interview with the Badminton World Federation (BWF).
“Leo and Eloi showed what they can do. We did the job. Credit to the team.”
Christo Popov framed it as a coming-of-age moment.
“If you told me two or three years ago we would beat Indonesia, you would ask who wins the matches,” he said.
“But today we showed what we are capable of. We did not just win match by match. We won as a team. Those not playing gave us energy in crucial moments. It was a big team performance.”
Indonesia’s early exit marks one of the tournament’s biggest shocks in recent years, while France’s victory signals their rise as a serious contender.
