Exclusive Ice Fire And A Fine Line Sumeeth Reddy Reveals The Secret Behind Treesa Gayatri S World Championships Run

Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand have made sure India remain hopeful of a medal in the women’s category at BWF World Badminton Championships 2026. The Indian pair had a tricky road ahead of the mega event, especially after Treesa suffered an injury earlier in 2026 that kept her out of several major tournaments. With the World Championships drawing closer, the pressure was beginning to build, but they managed to get the perfect tune-up at the Philippine International Challenge, where they emerged victorious and regained some much-needed confidence.

However, the Indian pair were unseeded at the World Championships, making their journey so far nothing short of an underdog story. They stunned seventh seeds Rin Iwanaga and Kie Nakanishi in the round of 16, giving Indian fans hope of a medal. But a tougher challenge awaited them in the quarterfinals against fourth seeds Zhang Shuxian and Jia Yifan.

The Indian pair, though, put on a performance to be proud of, beating the higher-ranked Chinese duo to book their place in the semifinals and secure a medal for India.

B Sumeeth Reddy, in an exclusive interview with Hindustan Times Digital, spoke about the confidence within the Indian pair right from the beginning. He revealed that Treesa and Gayatri were never too concerned about their own seeding or that of their opponents, choosing instead to focus on their game and the challenge in front of them.

“Not really [on any pressure of playing top-seeded players], because we were pretty confident that if the girls play well, they can beat any good pair, with the confidence that they were showing in practice. I think we were not very concerned about the draw," Sumeeth told Hindustan Times.

“That's how they are, and their nature is like that. That's how they are, and I think that really helped, especially, you know, Trisha needs to be fired up, and then we need to calm her down a little bit so that she's not over-smashing. So, I think that is an important thing, and there's, like I said, a fine line between doing more and doing less. I think we need to stay very close to that line, and today I think they have done it tremendously well," he explained.

The aggressiveness was quite on display on Friday when the two players were charged up, especially in the final game and outshone the Chinese pair with some serious speed. The latter failed to handle back-to-back smashes, and it disrupted their rhythm.

Sumeeth also shed light on the work that went into sharpening Treesa and Gayatri's games ahead of the World Championships. He revealed that coach Pullela Gopichand focused specifically on Treesa’s net play and Gayatri’s backcourt game, with the aim of creating a more effective combination against the world’s top pairs.

“Gopi sir worked a lot on the net game of Trisha and also the backcourt of Gaya. I mean, that was a very selective decision to make sure that there's a significant change and the rallies were broken down into small bits and pieces, and then that's how he made sure that every stroke is taken care of in the best possible way," he added.

The next challenge will arguably be the biggest yet for Treesa and Gayatri in the semifinals, where they face world No. 1 pair Liu Shengshu and Tan Ning. On paper, it looks like another uphill task, but from what we have seen so far from Treesa and Gayatri is that whenever they are pushed against the wall, they know how to fight their way out.

Aditya Maheshwari is a Chief Content Producer and sports journalist with over seven years of experience covering the sports beat across formats and platforms. A cricket-first reporter by profession, he also follows football closely and considers it an integral part of his sporting journey. His work is shaped by a strong on-ground understanding of the game and an ability to translate match-day moments into clear, engaging stories that connect with readers across digital audiences. Over the years, he has developed a balanced approach that combines factual accuracy with narrative clarity, ensuring that both breaking developments and deeper insights are presented with context. Aditya has reported from the field at several major tournaments, including the ICC Cricket World Cup, the Indian Premier League, and the Indian Super League. First-hand coverage of these events has strengthened his ability to read the pulse of high-pressure contests, whether through live reporting, post-match analysis, or long-form storytelling. Working closely around teams, venues, and evolving storylines has helped him develop a strong sense of timing and editorial judgment. While cricket remains his primary focus, Aditya regularly reports on football and keeps a close watch on other sports such as tennis, hockey, and badminton. His wide-ranging interest allows him to approach stories with broader perspective, understanding how different sporting ecosystems function and evolve. Comfortable in fast-paced digital newsrooms, Aditya is well-versed in modern sports coverage, from live blogs and real-time updates to in-depth analysis and audience-focused storytelling. He believes in keeping sports writing simple, accurate, and grounded, with emphasis on clarity over complexity. At the core of his work lies a commitment to credible reporting and telling stories that go beyond the numbers on the scoreboard, highlighting the people, preparation, and pressure behind every performance.Read More