India’s women’s doubles duo, Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand, are on the rise. Over the past two years, they’ve broken into the Top 10 and reached a career-high of World No. 9. Following the All England, where they exited in the quarterfinals after a dominant run, the pair has struggled with injuries. While Treesa sustained a shoulder injury, Gayatri had to deal with a back injury. The duo were out of competition for a few months, with Gayatri even stating that she hasn’t practiced in the past 4-5 weeks.
Fortunately, for Indian badminton fans, the duo are all set to return to action on May 13th at the Thailand Open, as previously reported by RevSportz. In an exclusive conversation, the duo opened up on the challenges they faced during the past few months, their camaraderie and how they plan to bounce back stronger.
Also Read: Breaking: Treesa and Gayatri back on court on the 13th of May at the Thailand Open
You both pulled out of a couple of recent tournaments due to injuries. Treesa, you were struggling with a shoulder injury, Gayatri, you had a back injury. How are you feeling now physically and mentally before we get to talking about other things?
Gayatri:
I think we started off the year playing a lot of tournaments and I feel there was no break in between. So I felt now was the only time where there was time to take some break, some time off to treat our injuries and stuff. So, yes, it’s been great. I mean, I haven’t been playing for almost like 4–5 weeks now, but I’m back now and I feel much stronger.
Treesa:
I think the last few months we didn’t get any breaks. There were a lot of continuous tournaments happening and my shoulder is alright now after a 2–3 week gap. We’re looking forward to playing the Thailand Open, because after a break we’re playing again, so excited for that tournament.
During this recovery, especially after reaching a career high, was it a bit difficult to deal with this phase? And how did you two keep in touch with each other and make sure that the rhythm was still there?
Gayatri:
I think it’s definitely one of the most crucial parts because now we are in the top 10 in the world. So I feel missing tournaments is not that easy, and to take care of your body while doing that, it’s definitely been a little difficult. But I think both of us just needed to take this time out to recover.
Treesa:
I think injuries happen, and we need to deal with those situations when they come. I think we both have been there for each other during these days. When going for a tournament after a break, we need to have self-belief that we can do this. This is part of the sport and we need to accept that. We just need to stay injury-free and monitor our recovery. Since we are in the top 10, we need to maintain that and there are a lot of goals this year.
Gayatri, you spoke about needing this break. Has it given you any new perspective on your game or your partnership? And what’s the plan for the comeback?
Gayatri:
Definitely. It’s been a few hectic months. Also, after All England, I definitely needed a break, mentally too, because there were some really intense matches. I just had to take this time out, mentally and physically. Going forward, I just want to try and focus more on my body and mentally also try to just be happy and enjoy whatever is happening. I’m looking forward to the Thailand Open, to start off strong and let’s see what happens.
Gathering from what you’ve said, this has been a very exhausting run of tournaments, mentally and physically. Treesa, what’s the comeback plan like and what does your calendar look like? Because after this, you’ll also have to manage your workload.
We’re playing Thailand, Singapore and Indonesia. Right now, we’ve planned those tournaments. We have a four-week gap after Indonesia. That gap will be a good time to practice together. The World Championships are coming in August, so we need to focus on those areas. We need to practice together and be stronger. We’ve been supporting each other in any situation. I really believe that. Gayatri is so supportive, whether it’s (handling) mentally low moments or something else, and playing on court with her makes me happy.
Gayatri, you’ve been playing together for a few years now. What’s changed the most in your partnership from when you first teamed up versus now?
I think it’s been a great journey. And just to add to what Treesa said, I think Treesa has been amazing. She’s been extremely supportive, especially when I’m injured or going through something. There’s always that constant support. So I just feel really happy to get back and be on court. I’m looking forward to the World Championships. It’s going to be a good few months of tournaments coming up. We’re looking forward to all of them.
Treesa, when I look at you both playing, one can see that synergy. Do you have clearly defined roles on court, or is it more instinctive at this point? Do you just look each other in the eye and know what the other is thinking?
I think in most situations, especially the crucial ones, when it’s doubtful how we’ll get a point, Gayatri plays a big role. I can give an example from All England in the pre-quarterfinals. I started the game not feeling confident. It was evident on my face, I wasn’t feeling right on court, making more mistakes and errors. Gayatri handled that really well. She was very supportive in those moments. In the third game, she took charge. Those four points from 16-all were so important. I just trusted her with the shuttles on her side. In those phases, I can completely believe in her.
Love the camaraderie between you two. But final question to both of you: There’s a lot of pressure when you’re seen as the next big thing. Do you have that in the back of your mind? How do you deal with it, or do you just block it out?
Gayatri:
There’s definitely pressure. But I think at this point, it’s always going to be there and we just have to embrace it. Without pressure, I don’t think we would have played this well, because otherwise, what’s the point? I feel like we just have to take that leap of faith, believe in ourselves, and I think amazing things will happen.
Treesa:
I think whatever hard work we’re doing, when we’re winning tournaments, it shows on our faces, and it feels so happy. That’s the result of all the effort. Whether it’s winning tournaments or just making it through each round, or beating top players, it makes us even happier and motivates us to work even harder.