Thomas and Uber Cup 2024 Live, Day 1 Highlights: The Indian men’s team opened their Thomas Cup campaign with a 4-1 win over the defending world champions, Thailand. Earlier, Indian women started their Uber Cup campaign against Canada in Group A with a 4-1 win.
Thomas and Uber Cup 2024 Live, Day 1 Highlights: The Indian men’s team, who started their Thomas Cup campaign on a winning note against Thailand in the Thomas & Uber Cup final in Chengdu, the reigning world champions. HS Prannoy, Satwik-Chirag, Srikanth Kidambi and Lakshya Sen made Bank history as India won the Thomas Cup for the first time in history. And they were all in action in their Group C opener against Thailand.
Prannoy, the bronze medalist at the 2023 World Championships, was in the opening match of the tie against Kunlavut Vitidsorn. But Satwik-Chirag brought India back into the tie with a 1-1 win. In the second singles tie as well, India were pushed the distance as Lakshya Sen overcame a mid-match blip to win in three games. The tie was won by Dhruv Kapil and MR Arjun in the 2nd doubles tie. In the end, Srikanth completed the formalities with vigor.
India vs Thailand, Group C, Thomas Cup Lineup 2024:
MS1: HS Prannoy 20-22 14-21 Kunlavut Vtidsorn
MD1: Satviksairaj Rankireddy v Chirag Shetty 21-19 19-21 21-12 Peeratchai Sukhpoon v Pakkapan Terrat School
MS2: Lakshya Sen 21-12 19-21 21-16 Panichaffon Terrat School
MD2: MR Arjun – Dhruv Kapila 21-19 21-15 Tanadon Poonpanich – Wachiravit Sothon
MS3: Kidambi Srikanth 21-9 21-5 Saran Jamshree
Earlier in the day, Asmita Chaliha defeated top-ranked Michel Lee to give India a flying start in a crucial Uber Cup Group A tie in Chengdu on Saturday, as they won 4-1. Priya Konjengbam – Shruti Mishra, the national doubles champion, then gave India a 2-0 lead. Isharani Barua then won the tie for India as she defeated higher ranked Wen Yu Zhang. Then national champion Anmol Kharab, who was the star performer for India en route to their maiden Asia Team Championship title, also pulled off a hard-fought win to seal a 4-1 tie.
India vs Canada, Group A, Uber Cup Results:
WS1: Asmita Chaliha 26-24, 24-22 Michelle Lee
WD1: Priya Konjengbum – Shruti Mishra 21-12, 21-10 Catherine Choi – Jesslyn Chow
WS2: Isharani Barua 21-13, 21-12 Wen Yu Zhang
WD2: Simran Singhi – Ritika Thacker 19-21, 15-21 Jackie Dent – Crystal Lai
WS3: Anmol Kharb 21-15, 21-11 Eliana Zhang
Thomas and Uber Cup 2024 Live Updates: Watch all live updates of India Men and Women from Chengdu, China
Thomas and Uber Cup 2024 Live: A quick recap
India’s men’s and women’s teams started by winning their respective groups in the Thomas and Uber Cup finals. Asmita Chaliha‘s victory over former top-10 Michelle Lee was the headline result of the day, while Anmol Kharab continued her winning run in the fifth match of a team event. India beat Canada 4-1, with a single loss at second doubles. The Thomas Cup champions, however, were made hard by a young Thailand team. World champion Kunlavut Vithidsorn defeated HS Prannoy. Then Satwik-Chirag, Laksh Sen won a three-game thriller before Dhruv-Arjun tied. Srikanth Kidambi ended up leading 4-1 in the easiest win of the day.
The Indian women will return to action on Sunday at 6.00 am IST as they take on Singapore in the quarter-finals.
Uber Cup: Shivani Naik writes about Isharani Barua, who got a good win today
Jump drops mixed with leaping clears are gradually softening Isharani Barua’s wild, unyielding, not-a-care-in-the-world free jump smash. Big cities like Bangalore tend to do this, but perhaps the dashing teenage badminton of Assam’s Dibrugarh needs the sophistication of mixing quick drops and half smashes and circular airborne smashes with clears to sustain.
To follow our liveblog of Thomas and Uber Cup, click here: Thomas and Uber Cup 2024 Live
Isharani started with a comfortable straight sets win over Canada in the second singles match at the Uber Cup where India fielded a callow bunch of girls in the absence of PV Sindhu – not yet a woman – who opted out.
But for Isharani, the crazy ball that dives and bounces down the court with power, a la Akane Yamaguchi, this Uber Cup could be a rare international top-flight sighting of the jump smash – before it’s shortened, tempered and disciplined. Although you hope it doesn’t disappear completely.
Thomas and Uber Cup 2024 Live: Next India vs Singapore in Uber Cup.
And the lineup is already in for India vs Singapore, Sunday 6.00 am (revised). Asmita Chaliha will face tough questions against Yeo Jia Min but India will be favorites in the rest of the matches. A win secures a QF spot. On Sunday The men are not in action .
WS1: Asmita Chaliha vs. Yeo Jia Min
WD1: Priya Konjengbom – Shrew
T Mishra v Xiao N Heng – Jin Yu Jia
WS2: Isharani Barua vs Insairah Khan
WD2: Simran Singhi – Ritika Thacker vs Yi Ting Elsa Lai – Jean Michel
WS3: Anmol Kharab vs Lee Jin E Megan
Thomas and Uber Cup 2024 Live: Wins for India in both Thomas Cup and Uber Cup begin…
…and you can tell, today’s story in Chengdu, India: 4-1 all, 1-4 all.
And in all seriousness, these two results (coming against direct rivals for the top two spots) essentially all but guarantee a place in the top two in their respective groups.