The defending champions Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand showcased their dominance in the women’s doubles summit clash at the Syed Modi India International Badminton Championship 2025 in Lucknow. They powered past Japan’s Kaho Osawa and Mai Tanabe in a thrilling 76-minute marathon final, winning 17-21, 21-13, 21-14 and retained their throne on Super Sunday.
The spirited Indian pair produced fantastic deception, sharp placements and intercepted the Japanese pair’s cross-court and mid-court smashes with precision. Treesa delivered powerful smashes, killing the opponents’ morale with her raw power and sublime placements, while Gayatri complemented her beautifully with tactical maturity, good control and clever drop shots.
The duo returned to competition at the Australian Open after Treesa’s injury in July following the Macau Open. The Lucknow event was only their second tournament after the comeback. Being defending champions, the court conditions at the BBD UP Badminton Academy were familiar to them.
“It feels really good. It’s been a long time since I played. This tournament is a big boost for me, and it gives me confidence for next year as well,” said Gayatri Gopichand.
“We know how much work we’ve put in. And yeah, when she comes back, it’s all about what’s next,” Treesa added.
The first game saw a neck-and-neck battle before the Japanese pair took an 11-9 lead at the interval. After the break, a long 32-shot rally ended with a fierce attacking smash from Treesa, followed by another smash and a front-court drop shot that the Japanese couldn’t retrieve, bringing the score to 13-14. However, the Indian pair committed a few unforced errors on drops and cross-court smashes, allowing the Japanese to extend their lead to 16-20. The Indians saved two game points but failed to counter a 381 km/h smash from Tanabe, eventually dropping the opener 17-21.
Despite the setback, Gayatri said they remained composed.
“I kept reminding myself to stay calm. Even during the match, she (Treesa) kept telling me to be patient, ‘It’s not over yet, one more rally.’”
In the second game, Treesa produced stellar deep smashes that broke the Japanese defence, and Gayatri added points with smart front-court returns, racing to a 9-2 lead. By the mid-game interval, the Indians led 11-5. After the change of ends, Gayatri executed a sharp placement, tricking Osawa and Tanabe into a long 23-shot rally.
The Indians kept the momentum with quick flat exchanges, denying the Japanese any chance of recovery. After reaching game point at 20-12, they sealed it with smart judgement by letting a shuttle go long, smashed by the Japanese, forcing the match into a decider.
In the final game, the Indians showed brilliant control with strong forehand cross-court smashes and delivered a few quality serves to take an 11-5 lead at the interval. After the break, the Japanese mounted a brief comeback and pushed the Indians to the back court, capitalising on a few interception errors and narrowing the lead to 12-14. From there, the Indians held their nerve and made tactical adjustments, winning four consecutive points. Treesa’s final smash sealed the match and the Syed Modi S300 title in Lucknow.
Reflecting on the title triumph, Gayatri said, “We’re happy to win the final. Our coordination was very good today. We worked on a lot of technical aspects and planned several strategies. That helped in the crucial moments.”
Both shuttlers are now aiming to build on this victory and are raring for a good 2026 season, which includes the Asian Games and the World Championships at home.
“This tournament is a big boost for me, and it gives me confidence for next year as well. Next is the Malaysia Masters and India. We just need to keep practising well since 2026 is going to be important,” Treesa said with a tinge of hope.
“This tournament is a big boost for me, and it gives me confidence for next year as well,” Gayatri echoed to conclude.
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