Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand defeated Japan's Rin Iwanaga and Kie Nakanishi 21-16, 21-12 to reach the quarterfinals in New Delhi
The unseeded Indian pair is now just one win away from securing a medal at the prestigious World Championships
This impressive run follows Treesa Jolly's recovery from a severe ankle injury involving two muscle tears and two ligament tears
Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand advanced to the quarterfinals of the World Championships on Thursday. The unseeded Indian pair reached the last eight in New Delhi, continuing their impressive comeback trail following a significant injury layoff.
They defeated Japan's seventh seeds Rin Iwanaga and Kie Nakanishi 21-16 21-12, according to PTI. The commanding straight-game victory ousted the world No. 7 Japanese duo, placing the Indian women's doubles team one step away from a medal.
Road To Recovery
Treesa suffered a severe ankle injury earlier this year while training for the Asia Badminton Championships and the Uber Cup. She accidentally stepped on Gayatri's foot during practice, causing a twist in her ankle.
The resulting MRI scans revealed extensive damage, confirming two high-grade muscle tears and two ligament tears. After a gruelling rehabilitation period, the pair returned at the Indonesia Open, played at the US Open, and won the Philippine International Challenge early this month.
Past Career Milestones
The duo holds a strong track record and was awarded the Arjuna Award for 2025. They reached the All England Open semi-finals in consecutive years in 2022 and 2023. The pair also secured a Commonwealth Games bronze medal in 2022 and broke into the world top 10 rankings at the start of 2025.
