E-Paper
Treesa, Gayatri hit the high notes despite semi-final loss
The women’s doubles pair take the first game before losing to the Chinese top seeds, end with bronze
NEW DELHI: The atmosphere inside the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium on Saturday evening was electric. It was pulsating with the noise being made by the boisterous 8,000-strong crowd, hopes rising as the Indian women’s doubles pair Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand put on a brilliant early fight in the semi-finals.
The pair had already enjoyed a slice of history, assuring themselves of bronze which extended India’s run of winning at least one medal in the BWF World Championships, since the historic first women’s doubles bronze clinched by Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa in 2011.
Their sensational run even raised hopes of continuing in as an exciting semi-finals unfolded. The decibel levels soared when they pulled off the first game against China’s Liu Shen Shu and Tan Ning, but the top seeds re-set and turned the tables as the Indians lost 21-18, 13-21, 8-21.
Standing across the net from the 39th-ranked Indians was the ultimate test as the Chinese were the world No.1 pair and defending champions as well. Treesa and Gayatri had already scripted a fairytale through the week, ousting three seeded pairs.
This matchup was a different beast, but their performance on Saturday showed their potential to raise their level to match the current world beating pairs. This bronze could well be the launchpad for higher achievements.
The chasm in rankings was barely evident early on as Treesa and Gayatri matched the aggression of their opponents in the first game. Playing a fearless brand of badminton, they took a 7-2 lead. The world No.1 pair though found their footing as reeled off 10 consecutive points.
Treesa and Gayatri though were full of resilience. Trailing 16-18, they smartly and patiently built the rallies and finished them, their five-point streak handing them the game and sending the crowd into a frenzy. “We were a bit more confident in the first game,” Gayatri said later.
The second game though proved a gruelling physical and mental contest. It was all level as Treesa and Gayatri edged 12-11 ahead. The turning point arrived moments later in the form of a 49-shot rally at 12-all. The Indians threw everything at their opponents, but Liu and Tan’s impenetrable defense absorbed the pressure, eventually winning the point.
That exchange shifted the tectonic plates of the match. A slight lapse in focus from the home favourites, and errors seeping in, allowed the Chinese to reel off eight straight points, dragging the contest into a decider. “In the second game, they played very patiently. We couldn’t match,” added Gayatri, who father and chief national coach Pullela Gopichand, was an animated figure on the sideline as he guided the through the tough contest.
The Chinese disrupted the Indians’ flow, which lead to hesitation. “After the second game, the few mistakes made us a little un-confident, a little bit doubtful about the strokes that we were playing,” said Gayatri.
The Indian pair retreated into a shell, becoming more defensive and losing the sting of the first game, which no pair can afford against Liu and Tan.
By the third game, Liu and Tan’s championship pedigree was on full display. They utilised clever net play and brilliant jump smashes to dictate the tempo. An exhausting 56-shot rally, the longest of the match, at 2-all in the decider seemed to drain the remaining reserves of the Indian pair.
Despite the loss, the overriding emotion for Treesa and Gayatri was pride. Ultimately, what came together here was a campaign that will be remembered for sheer tenacity. Entering the tournament having played relatively few matches this year due to an ankle injury Treesa suffered in April, it made the journey to the podium memorable.
“If you see the whole week, it has been amazing,” Treesa said. “We created many upsets. It’s such a great week for us. So many great matches, so many things to take away.”
The bronze secures their place in an elite club of Indian players who have excelled at the World Championships. The timing couldn’t be better, riding the wave of happiness after their recent inclusion in the Arjuna award list.
“Being into that club, I feel so happy,” Gayatri said. “There is a long journey ahead. I feel like this is just the start. We just need to take this in a positive and confident way. Even the Arjuna award this week also gave us some boost.” Both are 23, and can look forward to building on this effort.
Before focusing on that bright future, there was a much-needed celebration on the agenda. It wouldn’t be extravagant, just a quiet moment of gratitude with the team behind their incredible success.
“First of all, I would like to thank the team behind us,” Gayatri said. “We will take them for lunch.”
And what about a personal treat to celebrate the history they had just made? “Yes,” Treesa laughed. “I will have ice-cream.”
It was a sweet, fitting end to a bittersweet day, one where a loss on the court still resulted in a legacy defining victory for Indian badminton.
