London: When the year started, India’s premier women’s doubles pair, Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand, were operating in sync, showcasing their rapid playing style that previously carried them to a career-best ranking of world No.9 last year.
However, on April 1, an injury halted their momentum during a training session. “While practicing, I had this ankle twist. When we took the MRI and all, it showed two ligament tears and two higher grade muscle tears,” Treesa told HT.
It required an immediate pause on their progress. For Treesa, recovery demanded utmost patience. Seven weeks of complete bed rest followed by two months of rehabilitation. In total, she was sidelined from competitive badminton for nearly three months.
Deep Dive
What challenges did Treesa Jolly face during her recovery from injury?
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How has the INDIAN crowd impacted Treesa and Gayatri's preparation for the World Championships?
“That situation was a struggling point. It feels so bad when you get injured and miss a lot of tournaments. Our ranking also went down which created a little bit of confusion and doubt (in my mind),” said the 23-year-old.
Throughout the downtime, her support network was pivotal. Chief coach Pullela Gopichand provided constant guidance while Gayatri, his daughter, ensured her partner felt no undue pressure to rush back.
“Gayatri was very supportive. She was telling me, ‘Take your time and come back.’ All the support I got from her and the coaches helped me figure out all those things more easily,” she said.
{{/usCountry}}“Gayatri was very supportive. She was telling me, ‘Take your time and come back.’ All the support I got from her and the coaches helped me figure out all those things more easily,” she said.
{{/usCountry}}While Treesa was undergoing rehabilitation, Gayatri focused on maintaining her physical condition to ensure they could hit the ground running on her partner’s return.
“For Treesa, overcoming an injury is a journey for sure, mentally and physically. But for me, for those 2-3 months, I just wanted to practice and keep myself fit so that when she’s back… it’s not easy to start off. It’s not really easy to come back after an injury and suddenly push to that extent,” Gayatri told HT.
Among the tournaments they missed, the two most important ones were the Asia Championships and Uber Cup, following which their ranking dipped from No.20 in January to 58 in June.
Once Treesa’s ankle healed, the duo made a strategic decision to enter the Philippine International Challenge in Manila, stepping down a grade to re-establish match fitness. The move paid off as they navigated through the field to capture the title.
“It feels great to be back on the podium,” said Gayatri, who is supported by Welspun. “Even though it was an International Challenge, there were some really good pairs. We’ve definitely gained some confidence from this tournament.”
Reflecting on the decision to enter the lower-tier event, Treesa viewed it as crucial preparation. “It was really a great decision... Before the World Championships, we got a chance to play so many matches against pretty decent players. That helped us gain so much confidence,” she added.
For Treesa, competing in high-intensity matches provided final confirmation that her body was ready for top-tier competition. “Now the ankle is perfectly okay. I have done the rehab very well. The ankle is helping me like before, how I can push on court, faster movements and all... it’s now perfect.”
The pair has regained the momentum at the right time, in the build-up to the BWF World Championships that kicks off in New Delhi on Monday. Playing in front of a home crowd brings a unique dynamic, but both players view the fans as an advantage.
“We are really excited that it’s happening in India. This is our first time playing such a prestigious tournament in India. The crowd, the hometown fan base… that gives us an extra boost of energy rather than pressure,” said Treesa.
The Worlds presents an early test as they are slated to face Spain’s Paula Lopez and Lucia Rodriguez in their opener.
“Everyone at the World Championships is going to play at a decent level. No one is easy. We’ve played them before once (the Indian pair won). I definitely think we have a good chance this time,” said Gayatri.
With the field for the women’s doubles wide open, Treesa remains confident. “In women’s doubles, if you are in top 20, it’s like equal players. On that day, whoever plays better can win against any top 10 pair. We have that in us where we can break into not only the top 10, but the top five. It’s just a matter of time,” she said.