Treesa-Gayatri win historic bronze at Badminton WC 2025, first in 15 years
Synopsis
Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand did what no Indian women's doubles pair had done in 15 years — win a World Championship medal. On home soil in New Delhi, and with Treesa barely months removed from an ankle injury, the pair's bronze is more than a result; it is a signal that Indian women's doubles is no longer an afterthought.
Key Takeaways
Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand won bronze at the BWF World Championships 2025 in New Delhi on 22 August .
India's first women's doubles World Championship medal in 15 years — the last was Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa's bronze in 2011 .
The pair lost to defending champions Liu Sheng Shu and Tan Ning of China 21-18, 13-21, 8-21 in the semifinals.
Their bronze was secured after beating fourth seeds Jia Yi Fan/Zhang Shu Xian in the quarterfinals.
Treesa Jolly had been sidelined for three months earlier this year with an ankle injury before this campaign.
Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand signed off from the BWF World Championships 2025 in New Delhi with a historic bronze medal on 22 August, becoming the first Indian women's doubles pair to win at the World Championships in 15 years. The duo fell to defending champions Liu Sheng Shu and Tan Ning of China 21-18, 13-21, 8-21 in the semifinals, but their run etched a landmark moment in Indian badminton history.
A Bronze That Rewrites History
The last time India claimed a women's doubles medal at the World Championships was in 2011, when Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa won bronze. Treesa and Gayatri's achievement on home soil ends that 15-year wait, making it the pair's biggest career result to date. Their run included a stunning quarterfinal victory over fourth seeds Jia Yi Fan and Zhang Shu Xian, which guaranteed them a podium finish before a single ball was struck in the semis.
Treesa's Comeback Adds to the Fairytale
The medal carries particular weight given what the pair overcame to reach this stage. Treesa Jolly had been sidelined for three months earlier this year due to an ankle injury, arriving at the World Championships with limited match practice and low momentum. That she and Gayatri could produce one of the tournament's standout results — on home soil, in front of a roaring crowd — underlines the depth of their performance.
How the Semifinal Unfolded
The opening game was a thriller. India raced to a 4-1 lead, only for the top-seeded Chinese pair to claw back to 7-5 and then edge ahead. A net foul levelled the score at 7-all, and the Chinese moved to 11-7 at the interval. Treesa and Gayatri responded brilliantly after the break, pulling level at 16-all and eventually sealing the first game 21-18, with chief coach Pullela Gopichand urging calm from the sidelines.
The second game saw India level at 10-all and even edge ahead 11-10 at the break, but a defining 49-shot rally swung momentum decisively toward the Chinese pair, who closed out the game 21-13. In the decider, Liu and Tan were dominant from the outset, building a 6-2 lead and extending it to 11-5 at the interval. Despite brief resistance, India could not recover, losing the third game 8-21.
What This Means for Indian Badminton
This result arrives at a time when Indian women's doubles has long been considered a weak link in the country's badminton ecosystem. The pair had entered the tournament without a seeding, making their run to the semifinals — and the bronze — all the more significant. Notably, they had aimed to become the first Indian pair to reach a women's doubles final at the World Championships, a target that remains unfinished business for the future.
With the BWF World Championships hosted in New Delhi providing the backdrop, and Pullela Gopichand's coaching influence visible throughout, India's women's doubles programme now has a credible benchmark to build on heading into the next Olympic cycle.
Point of View
The discipline has been an afterthought in India's badminton pipeline, with men's singles and mixed doubles absorbing most coaching and structural investment. Treesa and Gayatri's run, achieved without a seeding and with Treesa barely recovered from injury, raises an uncomfortable question: how much further could this pair go with consistent competitive exposure and a full season of match fitness? The 15-year gap between women's doubles medals at the Worlds is not a talent problem — it looks increasingly like a prioritisation one.
NationPress
22 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What medal did Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand win at the BWF World Championships 2025?
Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand won a bronze medal at the BWF World Championships 2025 in New Delhi. They lost to defending champions Liu Sheng Shu and Tan Ning of China 21-18, 13-21, 8-21 in the semifinals.
When was India's last women's doubles medal at the Badminton World Championships?
India's previous women's doubles medal at the World Championships was in 2011, when Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa won bronze. Treesa and Gayatri's 2025 bronze ends a 15-year wait.
How did Treesa and Gayatri qualify for the semifinals?
The pair secured their place in the semifinals — and guaranteed a medal — by defeating fourth seeds Jia Yi Fan and Zhang Shu Xian in the quarterfinals. They entered the tournament without a seeding.
What injury had Treesa Jolly recovered from before the tournament?
Treesa Jolly had suffered an ankle injury earlier in 2025 that ruled her out of competition for three months. She came into the World Championships with limited match practice before producing one of the tournament's biggest results.
Who coached the Indian pair during the World Championships?
Chief coach Pullela Gopichand guided the pair throughout the tournament. He was visibly involved from the sidelines during the semifinal, signalling to the pair to maintain composure during the tense first game.
