Treesa-Gayatri Stun World No. 4 to Assure India a Medal
New Delhi, August 21, 2026 India’s Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand delivered a remarkable performance at the BWF World Championships, overcoming world No. 4 Chinese pair Jia Yifan and Zhang Shuxian to reach the women’s doubles semifinals and guarantee a medal for the country. The Indian duo showed impressive resilience after losing the opening game, fighting back to claim a 16-21, 21-15, 21-13 victory. With the win, Treesa and Gayatri became only the second Indian women’s doubles pair to secure a medal at the World Championships. Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa had won bronze in 2011, while Prakash Padukone had earlier earned India’s first-ever medal at the tournament with a men’s singles bronze in 1983. After falling behind early in the first game, Treesa and Gayatri narrowed the gap through powerful smashes and sharp net play, but Jia and Zhang maintained their advantage to take the game 21-16. The Indian pair responded strongly in the second game, staying level with their opponents in long rallies and displaying solid defence under pressure. They held a narrow 11-10 lead at the interval before increasing the intensity with effective cross-court attacks to take the game 21-15. The deciding game remained even at 4-4 before Treesa’s powerful smash sparked a decisive momentum shift, helping the Indians win seven straight points and build a commanding lead. Although the Chinese pair attempted to fight back, Treesa and Gayatri remained in control and eventually sealed the contest 21-13. Later in the day, India’s men’s doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty will attempt to add another medal when they face Chinese third seeds Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang in the quarterfinals. A victory would confirm India’s second medal at the World Championships and give Satwik and Chirag their third medal at the tournament, following bronze-winning performances in 2022 and 2025. Treesa and Gayatri’s historic comeback, meanwhile, has marked another significant moment for Indian badminton on the world stage.
