Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand move into World Championships quarter-finals

NEW DELHI: Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand moved to within one win of a World Championships medal after the unseeded Indian pair produced a dominant straight-game victory over Japan’s seventh seeds Rin Iwanaga and Kie Nakanishi in New Delhi on Thursday.

The world No. 39 Indians, who are on a comeback trail following Treesa’s injury, outplayed the Japanese combination 21-16, 21-12 in a lop-sided women’s doubles pre-quarterfinal at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium. A place in the semi-finals will guarantee Treesa and Gayatri a medal at the World Championships.

The result was built around Treesa’s aggression from the rear court. She repeatedly turned her power into attacking opportunities while also varying her play at the net, preventing the Japanese pair from settling into a rhythm. Gayatri was comparatively quieter in the attacking phases but played a crucial role in maintaining the pair’s structure, with their movement and rotations repeatedly forcing Iwanaga and Nakanishi into uncomfortable positions.

The contest had its share of flashpoints. Treesa and Gayatri appeared frustrated by some of the proceedings, with their concerns over the Japanese pair’s conduct failing to bring the response they wanted. Treesa was subsequently shown a yellow card after being warned by the chair umpire over her treatment of the shuttle. The moment did little to affect her intensity. She channelled her frustration into her badminton, celebrating successful smashes emphatically as the home crowd rallied behind the Indians. At one stage, Treesa continued her argument with the match referee before coach Pullela Gopichand urged her to return to her corner.

The quarter-final berth marks another major step in the pair’s return. Treesa’s ankle injury had kept the duo out for around three months after she accidentally stepped on Gayatri’s foot during training ahead of the Asia Badminton Championships and Uber Cup. An MRI revealed two high-grade muscle tears and two ligament tears.

After a gruelling rehabilitation, they returned at the Indonesia Open before competing at the US Open. They then chose the Philippine International Challenge earlier this month to rebuild their rhythm and won the tournament. The pair had previously reached the All England Open semi-finals in consecutive years in 2022 and 2023, won Commonwealth Games bronze in 2022 and broke into the world’s top 10 at the start of last year. They were also awarded the Arjuna Award for 2025.