They had been knocking on the doors of greatness. There have been times when they came within sniffing distance but faltered. Not this time. Not at home where the atmosphere resembled that of a festival. The stadium reverberated with their names. And so it was when the two friends secured India a women’s doubles medal after 15 years. Things were different early this year. Injury struck one player and the duo suffered. What is remarkable is that though they are of different temperaments, they compliment each other on court.
Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand have been plying their trade together for a while and the medal was a culmination of their hard work. Soon after reaching the promised land, the duo was a bundle of emotions as they tried to savour the moment. After all, it was a World Championship bronze medal that they had won. After months of travails, it was a cathartic experience for the women’s doubles pair.
Chinese pair Jia Yi Fan and Zhang Shuxian, ranked higher, were primed to beat the Indians. But not on that day. Treesa and Gayatri —both 23—played like their lives depended on the match. Once they found their range, they were simply unstoppable, prevailing 16-21, 21-15, 21-13 after 80 minutes of absorbing battle.
In isolation, it was undoubtedly one of the best matches of their career. A first victory over the renowned Chinese pair, who had proven to be a thorn in their previous three meetings. For India, hosting the big-ticket event after a gap of 17 years, it was worth more. It was a significant feat that helped the country maintain their medal-winning streak—a streak that started in 2011—at the coveted event.
What makes their feat incredible is the fact that they achieved this when there was little or no expectations. “I think going into the quarterfinal match, personally, I didn’t have any expectations. I just wanted to go there and give my 100%. And I didn’t know what was going to happen because we had just come back from a long break, a few ups and downs,” Gayatri said later. “At the end of it, I was just so emotional. It was like a pinch-me moment, like is this really happening? So, I just started crying.”
Over the years, Treesa and Gayatri, who joined forces in 2021, have had some sizeable victories—most notably at the All England Open, but since last year or so, they had largely taken the back seat due to injuries. From career-high World No 9, their ranking had taken a nosedive. Coach B Sumeeth Reddy would later recall the time when Treesa suffered an ankle injury earlier this year before the Asian Championships. “She was very low. Even Gayatri was very low,” he recalled. “But from Day 1, rather than thinking about why it (injury) happened, they were focussing on what needs to be done,” he added.
Treesa’s badminton sojourn has humble roots. And there is a little bit of volleyball in her game too. Her family had financial constraints but that didn’t stop them from dreaming. She used to play in a makeshift court built by her father, Jolly Mathew, a volleyball coach, at their hometown in Cherupuzha, Kannur district, Kerala. Even at that age, she had an appetite for big wins. It’s also clear how she forged her jump smash, a big tool in her arsenal. “’My jump smash also is possibly because of my father making me train with volleyball drills at the start,” Treesa said. “When I was in Class I, I would do the volleyball jump serve. I had that strength. My sister also backed me,” Treesa recalled.
Gayatri, meanwhile, had her own unique challenges. Being a star’s daughter carries unique benefits but it can also bring intense pressure to live up to their parent’s legacy. Just like her father Pullela Gopichand, she started as a singles specialist. The World Championships medal undoubtedly increases her stature and given that her father was by her side, it made it more special.
Treesa is not shy of letting out her fury against rivals with her power smashes inside the court. Gayatri, on the other hand, is just the opposite. The calm presence during tense matches, who reads the game well. They’re like yin and yang, but as a unit, they can be a formidable force. This is just the beginning. Starting with the upcoming Asian Games in Japan, the duo will be aiming to soar higher.
