Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand secured a historic World Championships medal after beating the fourth-seeded Chinese duo to reach the semifinals. Their bronze is India’s first women’s doubles medal since Jwala Gutta-Ashwini Ponnappa’s 2011 feat.
India women’s doubles pair of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand could not contain their emotions after securing a historic medal by qualifying for the semifinals after defeating the fourth-seeded Chinese duo of Zhang Shuxian and Jia Yifan in a thrilling quarterfinal at the ongoing BWF World Badminton Championships in New Delhi on Friday, August 21.
After losing the opening set 16-21, Treesa and Gayatri made a strong comeback to take the next two games 21-15, 21-13, sealing a memorable victory and securing at least a bronze medal for the country. This was India’s first guaranteed medal at the World Championships after medal favourite PV Sindhu, Ayush Shetty, and the women’s doubles pair of Tanisha Crasto and Ashwini Ponnappa exited earlier in the tournament.
With an assured medal, Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand became the first Indian women’s doubles pair to win a World Championships medal since Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa’s historic bronze-winning run in London back in 2011, ending a 15-year wait for the country on the global badminton stage.
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Teersa and Gayatri’s Emotional Celebration Goes Viral
As Gayatri Gopichand smashed a match-winning shot, Treesa Jolly collapsed on court, and Gayatri embraced her after he embraced him, as the pair was visibly emotional after realizing they had etched their names into history books by sealing India’s first-ever women’s doubles medal at the World Championships in a decade and a half.
After embracing Treesa, Gayatri then went straight to her father and coach, Pullela Gopichand, who was sitting on the sidelines, sharing a deeply emotional hug with him to celebrate the monumental achievement. The emotional moment between the two quickly became one of the most touching highlights of India’s memorable day at the World Championships.
Indian crowd, who witnessed the historic moment at Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, erupted in joy and gave the duo a standing ovation, creating an unforgettable atmosphere as Indian badminton celebrated a watershed moment.
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This was a big moment for India in the ongoing World Championships, as other medal hopes, including PV Sindhu, fell short in their respective matches earlier in the week. Treesa and Gayatri are playing their maiden World Championships, and this sensational podium finish marks a monumental milestone early in their partnership on the international circuit.
Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand have already won three BWF titles as a doubles pair, including back-to-back Syed Modi International Super 300 crowns in 2024 and 2025. However, their latest achievement marks the biggest milestone of their partnership, as they have now secured their maiden World Championships medal.
Who Will Treesa and Gayatri Face?
Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand have inched closer to securing their maiden World Championships final after qualifying for the semifinal in New Delhi. Throughout the campaign so far, Treesa and Gayatri dropped only one game, which came in the quarterfinal against Zhang Shuxian and Jia Yifan.
Since 2011, Indian women’s doubles pairs have struggled to reach the latter stages of the World Championships, with Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa’s 2011 bronze remaining the last medal. Treesa and Gayatri will now face the World No.1-ranked Chinese duo of Tan Ning and Liu Shengshu in the semifinal, with a place in the final at stake.
Across men and women, India have reached the final in the doubles category, winning only three bronze medals, with Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty’s 2025 men’s doubles bronze being the most recent. Treesa and Gayatri’s historic run has now given India another chance to break new ground in the women’s doubles event.
Having already secured a historic medal, Treesa and Gayatri will now look to go one step further and become the first Indian women’s doubles pair to reach the World Championships final. A victory over the top-seeded Chinese duo would take them within touching distance of a maiden gold medal.
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