New Delhi: India’s badminton pair Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand, ranked 39th in the world, have secured the country a medal at the BWF World Championships 2026. The duo beat China’s fourth-seeded pair Jia Yifan and Zhang Shu Xian in the women’s doubles quarter-final at Indira Gandhi Arena in New Delhi, guaranteeing India at least a bronze — and making history in the process.
A Stunning Comeback After Losing the First Game
The Indian pair didn’t get off to the best start, dropping the opening game 16-21. But they fought back impressively, taking the second game 21-15, and carried that momentum into a dominant 21-13 win in the decider to seal the match. With this victory, India have now guaranteed at least one medal in the women’s doubles category at the World Championships — their first since Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa won bronze back in 2011.
Sindhu Falls in the Round of 16
This win means a lot for India, given it’s currently the only medal locked in at the tournament. Several big names who were expected to challenge for medals — PV Sindhu, Lakshya Sen, Unnati Hooda, and Ayush Shetty among them — have already been knocked out. Sindhu lost her pre-quarterfinal (Round of 16) clash to China’s third seed Wang Zhi Yi, extending a difficult run at the World Championships after she also went out in the quarter-finals last year.
Satwik-Chirag Still in the Hunt
Meanwhile, India’s men’s doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty remain in contention for another medal. The fifth-seeded Indian duo face China’s third-seeded pair Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang in their quarter-final on Friday. A win for Satwik and Chirag would secure India’s second medal of the World Championships.
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