Indian women's Uber Cup campaign ends after 0-5 loss to China in Horsens
Synopsis
India's women's badminton team crashed out of the 2026 Uber Cup after a 0-5 loss to defending champions China in Horsens. PV Sindhu's spirited performance — including an 18-12 third-game lead against world no. 2 Wang Zhi Yi — was ultimately not enough. The defeat marks another quarterfinal miss for Indian women at a major world championship, highlighting the widening gap with elite badminton nations.
Key Takeaways
India lost to China 0-5 in their final Group A match at the 2026 Uber Cup in Horsens on 28 April .
PV Sindhu came closest to victory, leading 18-12 in the third game against Wang Zhi Yi before losing 16-21, 21-19, 19-21 .
Isharani Baruah lost 20-22, 13-21 to Chen Yu Fei ; Devika Sihag lost 21-19, 17-21, 10-21 to Xu Wen Jing .
Tanisha Crasto and Kavipriya Selvam took the opening game but lost the doubles 21-10, 12-21, 19-21 .
India had earlier lost to Denmark 2-3 and defeated Ukraine 5-0 in the group stage.
The Indian women's badminton team's campaign at the 2026 Uber Cup in Horsens came to an end on 28 April after a 0-5 defeat to defending champions China in their final Group A fixture. Despite a spirited showing, India could not secure the victory needed to keep their quarterfinal hopes alive.
Singles performances
Former world champion PV Sindhu, playing in the opening singles match, came closest to a breakthrough against world no. 2 Wang Zhi Yi. Sindhu led for much of the third game and built an 18-12 advantage in the decider, but Wang recovered with seven consecutive points to seize control and eventually clinch the match 16-21, 21-19, 19-21. Isharani Baruah and Devika Sihag, India's other singles representatives, also mounted pressure on their Chinese opponents but fell short, losing 20-22, 13-21 and 21-19, 17-21, 10-21 respectively.
Doubles setback
India's women's doubles pair of Tanisha Crasto and Kavipriya Selvam, fielded as a scratch combination, showed early promise by taking the opening game against Luo Xu Min and Zhang Shu Xian, but could not sustain the momentum, eventually losing 21-10, 12-21, 19-21.
Tournament context
This elimination marks a significant setback for Indian women's badminton on the continental stage. India had opened their campaign with a 2-3 loss to Denmark but recovered with a 5-0 victory over Ukraine. In the 2024 Thomas & Uber Cup held in Chengdu, the Indian women were ousted in the quarterfinals by Japan, despite having won bronze medals in the 2014 and 2016 editions. The continued struggle at world championships underscores the growing competitive gap between India and the sport's top-ranked nations.
Road ahead
The loss to China concludes India's group-stage participation in Horsens. The team will now focus on drawing lessons from this campaign ahead of future international tournaments.
Point of View
But no consistency across the lineup. China's depth is suffocating. India's women have now missed the quarterfinals at two consecutive Uber Cups (2024 in Chengdu, 2026 in Horsens), a pattern that demands structural reckoning. Talent exists; execution and mental fortitude under pressure do not.
NationPress
1 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did India's women's team crash out of the 2026 Uber Cup?
India lost 0-5 to defending champions China in their final Group A match on 28 April in Horsens, eliminating them from quarterfinal contention. Despite a spirited effort, particularly from PV Sindhu, who led 18-12 in the third game against Wang Zhi Yi, India could not secure a victory.
How close was PV Sindhu to winning her match against Wang Zhi Yi?
Sindhu led for much of the match and built an 18-12 advantage in the deciding game, but Wang Zhi Yi recovered with seven consecutive points to take control and eventually won 16-21, 21-19, 19-21.
What were India's other group-stage results at the 2026 Uber Cup?
India lost 2-3 to Denmark in their opening match but recovered to defeat Ukraine 5-0 in their second group fixture before the elimination loss to China.
How has India performed at recent Uber Cup tournaments?
India's women won bronze medals at the 2014 and 2016 Uber Cups but have struggled since. They were ousted in the quarterfinals by Japan at the 2024 Uber Cup in Chengdu and have now missed the quarterfinals again in 2026.
