Treesa Jolly-Gayatri Gopichand Lead India’s Women’s Doubles Challenge at World Championships
Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand headline India’s women’s doubles hopes at the 2026 BWF World Championships in New Delhi.
The women's doubles competition at the 2026 BWF World Championships in New Delhi promises to be one of the most fiercely contested events, with China once again starting as the dominant force and Japan, Korea and Malaysia providing serious challenges.
For India, the spotlight will be firmly on Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand, who have been identified among the top home contenders for the championships. Playing a World Championship on home soil gives the young Indian combination an opportunity to produce one of the biggest results of their careers in front of a home crowd.
The task, however, will be enormous.
China has dominated women's doubles at the World Championships since first entering the competition, winning all but three editions. The Chinese have also captured the title at the last four championships, making them the clear benchmark for every other nation heading into New Delhi.
Treesa and Gayatri carry India's hopes.
Among the home contenders, Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand stand out as India's principal women's doubles combination. The pair's emergence has added another dimension to India's doubles programme, and their presence at a home World Championships provides an opportunity to test themselves against the world's strongest pairs.
The challenge will be particularly demanding because the women's doubles field features multiple combinations with recent World Tour success. For Treesa and Gayatri, reaching the latter stages will require them to handle the physical intensity and tactical variety that defines elite women's doubles. Their ability to maintain consistency through long rallies while creating opportunities to attack will be crucial.
Most importantly, they will have the home crowd behind them. A deep run in New Delhi would not only provide India with a potential medal opportunity but could also represent a major step in the development of the young pair.
Defending champions Liu Sheng Shu and Tan Ning
The biggest favourites remain China's Liu Sheng Shu and Tan Ning, the defending champions. The young Chinese pair has quickly taken over from compatriots Chen Qing Chen and Jia Yi Fan as one of the leading combinations in the discipline. Their biggest strengths are their physicality, attacking power and ability to operate effectively across the entire court.
Despite being relatively young, Liu and Tan have already established themselves as the pair to beat. Their challenge now is to reproduce that level of dominance on the biggest stage and defend their world title in New Delhi. For India's Treesa and Gayatri, facing the Chinese pair would represent one of the toughest possible tests.
Japan's Yuki Fukushima and Mayu Matsumoto are another major threat. Fukushima has previously reached three World Championship finals, but a world title has remained elusive. Interestingly, Matsumoto herself was part of the pair that twice denied Fukushima the ultimate prize when she partnered Wakana Nagahara.
This season, however, Fukushima and Matsumoto have established themselves as one of the leading combinations. They won the Indonesia Open and also reached title matches in India and China, giving them considerable momentum heading into the World Championships.
Their experience could prove decisive in the knockout rounds.
Korea's Baek Ha Na and Lee So Hee remain dangerous.
Korea's Baek Ha Na and Lee So Hee have enjoyed another consistent season. Although they have been unable to convert two Super 1000 final appearances into titles, their ability to regularly reach the business end of major tournaments makes them a serious threat. The Koreans also reached the semi-finals of their most recent World Tour event, the China Open.
For Treesa and Gayatri, the Korean pair would present a tactical challenge built around consistency and the ability to exploit small openings.
China's Jia Yi Fan and Zhang Shu Xian add another layer to the competition. Jia has already won four World Championship gold medals alongside Chen Qing Chen. A fifth title would make her the most successful player in a single doubles category in World Championships history. The new partnership with Zhang has already delivered strong results, with the pair reaching four finals this season and winning titles in Singapore and Australia.
That combination of experience and recent form makes them one of the biggest threats to the defending champions.
Kim Hye Jeong and Kong Hee Yong arrive with momentum.
Korea's Kim Hye Jeong and Kong Hee Yong may be among the most intriguing contenders. Kong returned from a long injury layoff and immediately produced a spectacular performance alongside Kim at the Japan Open. The pair defeated Jia Yi Fan and Zhang Shu Xian in an extraordinary final, winning the deciding game 30-29.
That result could provide significant confidence before the World Championships. The Koreans are also chasing history. No Korean women's doubles pair has won the World Championships since 1995, giving Kim and Kong another motivation in New Delhi.
India faces a formidable field
Beyond the five leading pairs, several other combinations could disrupt the established hierarchy. Malaysia's Pearly Tan and Thinaah Muralitharan remain among the leading contenders, while Japan's Rin Iwanaga/Kie Nakanishi and Rui Hirokami/Sayaka Hobara also have the ability to challenge deep into the tournament.
For India, however, the central focus will remain on Treesa and Gayatri. The home conditions provide an advantage that few of their rivals will have. But they also bring expectations.
China's dominance means India will need to overcome several world-class combinations to reach the podium. Yet women's doubles has repeatedly shown that rankings and reputations do not guarantee results.
If Treesa and Gayatri can handle the pressure, maintain their attacking intent and use the home crowd effectively, they could become one of India's most important medal hopes in New Delhi.
The World Championships will ultimately provide the biggest test yet of their progress.
Comments (0)
to post comments, replies, and votes.
Loading comments…
