NEW DELHI: Indian badminton stars Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand have added a landmark achievement to their careers by winning the women’s doubles bronze medal at the BWF World Championships 2026, becoming only the second Indian pair in the category to reach the World Championships podium.
Indian Pair Push World No. 1 Duo to Three Games
Treesa and Gayatri’s memorable campaign ended in the semifinals against China’s Liu Sheng Shu and Tan Ning, the world No. 1 pair and defending champions.
Playing in front of the home crowd at New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, the unseeded Indians made a superb start and captured the opening game 21-18.
However, Liu and Tan responded strongly. The Chinese pair took the second game 21-13 before dominating the deciding game 21-8 to complete a 18-21, 21-13, 21-8 victory in one hour and 11 minutes.
Despite missing out on a place in the final, Treesa and Gayatri walked away with a historic bronze.
India’s 15-Year Wait Ends
The achievement ended a 15-year wait for an Indian women’s doubles medal at the World Championships.
Before Treesa and Gayatri, Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa were the only Indian women’s doubles combination to reach the Worlds podium, winning bronze in London in 2011.
Treesa and Gayatri have now joined them in Indian badminton history.
Stunning Quarterfinal Win Secured Medal
Their medal was guaranteed by an outstanding quarterfinal performance against China’s Jia Yi Fan and Zhang Shu Xian, the fourth seeds.
The Indian pair lost the opening game 16-21 but staged an impressive comeback, winning the next two games 21-15, 21-13.
That victory was particularly significant because Treesa and Gayatri entered the tournament unseeded and ranked world No. 39 following an injury-affected period.
Their run included victories over three seeded combinations, turning the home World Championships into a breakthrough tournament for the 23-year-old pair.
India’s Only Medal at 2026 Worlds
The bronze also proved crucial for the host nation.
Treesa and Gayatri’s podium finish was India’s only medal at the 2026 BWF World Championships, continuing the country’s medal-winning presence at the tournament.
Their achievement became even more significant after India’s other leading contenders were eliminated earlier in the competition.
Saina Nehwal Leads Tributes
The pair have received widespread praise following their breakthrough.
Indian badminton great Saina Nehwal congratulated Treesa and Gayatri on their bronze-medal performance, while former India cricketer Shikhar Dhawan was also among those celebrating the historic result.
National chief coach Pullela Gopichand attributed the breakthrough to weeks of focused preparation, tactical adjustments, patience and belief.
Major Boost for Indian Women’s Doubles
For Indian badminton, the result could have significance beyond one bronze medal.
India has produced several internationally successful singles players and a world-class men’s doubles combination in recent years, but women’s doubles has struggled to replicate the landmark success achieved by Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa.
Treesa and Gayatri’s World Championships performance suggests that gap could finally be narrowing.
After overcoming injuries, a ranking slide and some of the strongest doubles teams in the world, their New Delhi bronze represents both a career breakthrough and a major milestone for Indian women’s badminton.
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