The Indonesia Thomas Cup team rocked by a seismic upset on Tuesday as France sent 14-time champions Indonesia crashing out of the Thomas Cup with a dominant 4-1 victory. This marks the first time since the tournament’s inception in 1949 that Indonesia has failed to clear the group stage.

Despite entering the final Group D tie with earlier wins over Algeria and Thailand, Indonesia was eliminated on match difference. Thailand and France advanced to the quarter-finals after all three nations ended the group stage with two wins apiece.

France seized control of the tie from the opening match and never looked back. Christo Popov set the tone by defeating Jonatan Christie 21-19, 21-14. The lead was doubled shortly after when Alex Lanier outplayed Alwi Farhan 21-16, 21-19.

The knockout blow was delivered in the singles when Toma Junior Popov edged out Anthony Sinisuka Ginting in a thrilling three-set match, finishing 20-22, 21-15, 22-20. Ginting’s momentum was hampered by a heavy fall in the deciding set.

The French dominance extended to the doubles as world No. 52 pair Eloi Adam and Leo Rossi stunned world No. 9 Sabar Karyaman Gutama and Moh Reza Pahlevi Isfahani 21-19, 21-19. Indonesia’s solitary point came in the final match, where Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Shohibul Fikri defeated the Popov brothers 21-18, 19-21, 21-11.

The unprecedented early exit triggered an outpouring of grief and disbelief from Indonesian fans on social media. Many expressed shock that a traditional badminton powerhouse could be undone by an unseeded French side.

Frustration was also directed toward the management of the sport. Some supporters questioned why the national team has struggled to regain its “golden era” glory despite having legends like Taufik Hidayat serving as the Deputy Youth and Sports Minister.

For France, the victory represents a milestone in their national sporting history. Player Eloi Adam described it as perhaps the most important win for French badminton, noting the significance of beating an “iconic country” like Indonesia by such a wide margin.

“Today we showed what we are capable of as a team,” said Christo Popov. “We didn’t just win match by match, we won together”. France now moves on to the quarter-finals as the runners-up of Group D, trailing only group leaders Thailand.