India at the 2026 Badminton World Championships: India has won its first medal at the Badminton World Championships. This medal was won in the women's doubles event.
India has secured its first medal at the Badminton World Championships
India has secured its first medal at the Badminton World Championships. In the women's doubles quarter-finals, the pair of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand defeated a Chinese duo 16-21, 21-15, 21-13 in a match that lasted 69 minutes. Reaching the semi-finals of the Badminton World Championships guarantees a bronze medal.
In the singles events, PV Sindhu and Unnati Hooda (women's singles), as well as Lakshya Sen and Ayush Shetty (men's singles), have already been eliminated. While India's campaign in the singles categories has ended, Gayatri and Treesa have displayed brilliant form in the women's doubles. India's challenge in mixed doubles has also concluded, but hopes for another medal rest on the men's doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty.
India's Medal Confirmed
In the quarter-final match, Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand faced the Chinese pair of Jia Yi Fan and Zhang Shu Xian. Gayatri and Treesa fell significantly behind in the first set; although they put up a tough fight, they could not stage a comeback and lost the set 16-21. The second set also saw a fierce contest, but this time the Indian pair effectively utilized their smashes to win the set 21-15.
After two sets, the match was tied at 1-1. In the deciding set, the Chinese pair could not hold their ground, and Gayatri and Treesa won the set 21-13. Given that Jia Yi Fan and Zhang Shu Xian were the fourth-seeded pair at this World Championship, this victory is truly historic for India.
India last won a World Championship medal in women's doubles in 2011. At that time, Ashwini Ponnappa and Jwala Gutta won a bronze medal at the World Championships held in London.
Hopes pinned on Reddy and Shetty
India's remaining hopes for a medal at the World Championships now rest on Satwiksairaj Reddy and Chirag Shetty. Seeded fifth in the tournament, Shetty and Reddy will face the third-seeded Chinese pair of Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang in the quarter-finals. Satwik and Chirag have previously won bronze medals in men's doubles at the 2022 Tokyo and 2025 Paris World Championships.
