Trisa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand have made headlines by securing a medal at the BWF World Championship. They achieved this after a remarkable comeback in the quarter-finals against the world’s fourth-ranked pair, Jia Yi Fan and Zhang Shu Jian.
This victory has guaranteed India its first medal in the tournament.
After losing the first game, the Indian duo staged an impressive comeback, winning the thrilling match 16-21, 21-15, 21-13. This win marks India’s first medal in women’s doubles since 2011, when Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa won bronze.
The match, which lasted 70 minutes, saw Trisa and Gayatri discuss their historic win over the Chinese pair. They expressed their determination, stating, “Our journey is not over yet.” Following their victory, Trisa told reporters, “We are very happy to have reached the semi-finals and secured a medal, but our journey does not end here. We have matches tomorrow as well.”
She added, “I want to thank everyone who supported us. This was teamwork, and I am truly grateful. I also want to thank the home crowd. Their support was fantastic today, and we received a lot of positive energy from them.” The duo also shared insights about the guidance they received from Chief National Coach and legendary former player Pullela Gopichand during the tense match at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium.
Trisa further mentioned, “From the beginning, they told us to stay in the moment and remain calm, which helped us score points. This approach really worked today. We were patient and waited for the right time to score.”
Previously, the Indian pair had never won against these Chinese players in their three prior encounters. After losing the first game, they feared a repeat of past defeats. Discussing their comeback and the upcoming match against China’s top-seeded pair Liu Sheng Shu and Tan Ning, Gayatri emphasized that staying calm was crucial and they plan to adopt the same strategy in the semi-finals.
Gayatri stated, “It was a tough match. We were trailing, and the situation was difficult in the second set as well. But we told each other to stay calm, and I think we will do the same tomorrow. We just want to remain composed, give our 100 percent on the court, and enjoy the game like we did today.”
Gayatri’s coach is her father, who has supported her throughout her journey. Reflecting on having Pullela Gopichand by her side during matches, Gayatri said, “It is really special. He is a great support, and I am very grateful that he can travel with me and be there during our matches.”
Even when Trisa and Gayatri struggled to score points, the audience rallied behind them. Gayatri concluded, “It is amazing. Usually, when we are abroad, we have to motivate each other, but here the crowd is cheering us on. As I said, even after the first set, they were very supportive, and their cheers boosted our confidence. I am very thankful to them.”