India's Uber Cup campaign concluded with a disappointing 0-5 loss to defending champions China in Horsens, Denmark on Monday. The defeat confirmed India's exit from the tournament, as China and Denmark advanced to the next stage from Group A.
Group A standings
China won all three matches in the group stage, while Denmark secured two wins and suffered one loss. India managed only one victory against two losses, and Ukraine ended winless with three defeats.
Match summary
The outcome was largely predictable after India lost 2-3 to Denmark on the opening day. In the must-win clash against China, India made changes to the singles lineup, replacing Unnati Hooda and Tanvi Sharma with Isharani Baruah and Devika Sihag.
PV Sindhu's narrow defeat
PV Sindhu squandered an 18-12 lead in the deciding game, eventually losing 16-21, 21-19, 19-21 to Wang Zhi Yi. The world number one women's doubles pair of Liu Sheng Shu and Tan Ning defeated Priya Konjengbam and Shruti Mishra 21-11, 21-8 in a one-sided contest.
Isharani Baruah's missed opportunity
In a crucial encounter, Isharani Baruah came agonizingly close to winning the first game against Olympic champion Chen Yu Fei. She held a game point at 20-19 but missed a straightforward shot. The Chinese world number four capitalized on the reprieve, winning 22-20, 21-13.
Other matches
Tanisha Crasto and Kavipriya Selvam put up a spirited fight before losing 10-21, 21-12, 19-21 to Luo Xu Min and Zhang Shu Xian. Devika Sihag, facing world number 97 Xu Weng Jing, lost 21-19, 17-21, 10-21.
Former coach's analysis
Former national coach Vimal Kumar criticized the Indian players for failing to seize opportunities. He stated, "Isharani had Chen Yu Fei on the ropes but let her off. Repeatedly leaving shuttles that are landing well inside the baseline and basic errors at the net is not bad luck, it's poor judgement under pressure." He added that the same issue occurred against Denmark, with Unnati Hooda and Tanvi Sharma also wasting chances. "At the highest level, you either convert or you exit," he said.
