Treesa Jolly-Gayatri Gopichand become all-tine highest-ranked Indian women's doubles pair, achieve career-best ranking

The Indian duo has climbed to a career-high world number nine.

Indian badminton witnessed history on January 14, as for the first time in the country’s elusive sporting history, two girls have dominated the women’s doubles fraternity, a category where India has traditionally not enjoyed great success in.

The young Indian swashbuckling duo of Treesa Jolly & Gayatri Gopichand achieved a career-best ranking of World Number #9, thereby becoming the highest-ranked Indian women’s doubles pair. This achievement is a testament to their steady rise in the international circuit.

By achieving this milestone, the duo surpassed the iconic pairing of Ashwini Ponnappa and Jwala Gutta. In 2015, Ashwini and Jwala had made history as the first Indian women’s doubles team to break into the world’s top 10, reaching a career-high ranking of No. #10.

Treesa-Gayatri, after clinching the Syed Modi India title in December last year, ended the season on a high with a career-best ranking of world No. #11 following a decent performance at the BWF World Tour Finals. In 2024, they narrowly missed out on Paris Olympics qualification but gained crucial points with impressive runs at the Macau Open and Canada Open.

Their quarter-final finish at the Malaysia Open last week earned them enough points to break into the world’s top 10 for the first time.

Also Read: Why 2024 was a year of disappointment for Indian badminton?

Badminton runs in Gayatri’s blood. As the daughter of former All England champion and national coach Pullela Gopichand, her calm demeanor and disciplined game reflect years of training under her father’s guidance. On the other hand, Treesa, hailing from Kerala, is known for her fearless approach and unyielding determination, qualities forged through her inspiring journey up the ranks.

In the women singles department, PV Sindhu slipped to number #16 after missing the Malaysia Open due to her marriage.

Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty are ranked World number #9 in men’s doubles after a semi-final exit at the Malaysia Open Super 1000 last week. Meanwhile Lakshya Sen is India’s top ranked male shuttler seeded at #12, and HS Prannoy is currently at #26.

Treesa and Gayatri’s rise to the world’s top 10 marks a proud moment for Indian badminton. As they climb the ranks, their skill, determination, and complementary styles position them as the future of women’s doubles in India.

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