Treesa-Gayatri Claim Historic Bdminton World Championships Bronze After Tough Semifinal Battle

In a close and hard-fought semifinal match at the BWF World Championships 2026, Indian badminton pair Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand claimed the bronze medal in women's doubles after a grueling three-game defeat against China's world No. 1 and defending champions Liu Sheng Shu and Tan Ning. The unseeded duo, who had been on a roll in the tournament, showcased their resilience and character against the formidable Chinese combination, ultimately walking away with a historic bronze medal.

The match began with an electrifying start by the Indians as they quickly put pressure on the reigning champions, matching their pace and aggression. Treesa and Gayatri displayed impressive skill and control during the first game, prevailing with a dominant 21-18 win. However, the Chinese pair swiftly recovered and began to dictate the rallies, forcing the Indians into longer exchanges and errors in the second game.

They leveled the contest at 1-1 after taking the game 21-13, maintaining the momentum in the deciding third game.

Liu and Tan swiftly took control in the third game, racing ahead early and never allowing the Indians to recover. The match lasted an impressive hour and 11 minutes, with the bronze medal marking a significant milestone for Treesa and Gayatri. This victory restores India's presence on the World Championships women's doubles podium, 13 years after their last World Championships medal win in 2011.