BWF World Championships: Treesa-Gayatri open with 21-9, 21-13 rout of Spain
Synopsis
Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand made short work of Spain's Paula Lopez and Lucia Rodriguez — 21-9, 21-13 in 33 minutes — to open their BWF World Championships account at New Delhi. Next up: 16th seeds Lauren Lam and Allison Quynh Lee, who arrive fresh on a first-round bye.
Key Takeaways
Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand beat Spain's Paula Lopez and Lucia Rodriguez 21-9, 21-13 in their BWF World Championships opener.
The match lasted just 33 minutes , with the first game wrapped up in 13 minutes .
India raced to a 16-5 lead in the first game before closing out comfortably.
Gayatri highlighted varying court speeds at the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex and stressed the need for mental adaptability.
The pair's next opponents are 16th-seeded Americans Lauren Lam and Allison Quynh Lee , who had a first-round bye.
India's Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand launched their BWF World Championships campaign in commanding fashion on 17 August, defeating Spain's Paula Lopez and Lucia Rodriguez 21-9, 21-13 in a brisk 33-minute opener at the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex in New Delhi. The straight-game victory was never in doubt, with the Indian pair dictating terms from the very first rally.
Dominant First Game
Treesa and Gayatri set a punishing tempo from the outset, racing to a 6-2 lead before stretching their advantage to 11-5 at the mid-game interval. The intensity did not relent after the break — the Indians surged to 16-5 and closed out the opening game in just 13 minutes, giving the Spanish pair no foothold whatsoever.
Spain Stiffen, India Hold Firm
The second game offered marginally more resistance, with Lopez and Rodriguez staying competitive in the early exchanges. However, Treesa and Gayatri reasserted control to lead 11-8 at the interval and then shut the door emphatically, conceding just five more points to seal the game 21-13. The crowd at the packed Indira Gandhi Sports Complex provided a raucous backdrop throughout.
Gayatri on Court Conditions and Mental Preparation
Speaking after the win, Gayatri Gopichand acknowledged the role of crowd support and flagged the challenge of adapting to varying court speeds. 'The court conditions are pretty good and a whole stadium is supporting you, cheering for you, it feels good,' she said.
She also noted a perceptible difference between the two ends of the court. 'When we started playing at the end of the court, it was a little bit fast, I think when we changed the side, I think obviously we were feeling the difference that one side is fast and one side is a little bit slow. So accordingly, we need to play that; for those situations, we need to just push it up mentally. I feel like for the opponent also it will be the same if they go to the other side. So mentally we need to prepare for that,' she added.
What Comes Next
The Indian pair will next face the 16th-seeded American combination of Lauren Lam and Allison Quynh Lee, who received a first-round bye. That match will be a considerably sterner test of where Treesa and Gayatri stand in the global pecking order at this stage of the tournament.
Point of View
21-13 demolition in 33 minutes against a Spanish pair that offered little resistance tells you more about the gulf in class than about Treesa and Gayatri's readiness for deeper rounds. The real intelligence will come against Lauren Lam and Allison Quynh Lee, a seeded American pair arriving rested on a bye. Gayatri's candid remarks about court-speed variation are worth noting: at a World Championships, mental adaptability between ends can be the difference in a tight third game. India's women's doubles has historically underperformed its potential at this level — this pair has the tools to change that narrative, but the draw gets harder from here.
NationPress
17 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who did Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand beat in the BWF World Championships opener?
Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand defeated Spain's Paula Lopez and Lucia Rodriguez 21-9, 21-13 in their opening-round match at the BWF World Championships in New Delhi. The match lasted just 33 minutes.
Where is the BWF World Championships 2025 being held?
The BWF World Championships is being held at the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex in New Delhi, India.
Who will Treesa and Gayatri play next at the BWF World Championships?
The Indian pair will next face 16th-seeded Americans Lauren Lam and Allison Quynh Lee, who received a first-round bye and enter the tournament at the second round.
What did Gayatri Gopichand say about the court conditions?
Gayatri said the court conditions were good and crowd support uplifting, but noted a noticeable speed difference between the two ends of the court. She emphasised the need for mental preparation to adapt to whichever end the pair is playing from.
How dominant was India's performance in the opening game?
India was highly dominant in the first game, building leads of 6-2, 11-5, and 16-5 before closing it out in just 13 minutes. The second game was tighter early on but the Indians pulled away to win 21-13.
