Arjuna Award glory, then a giant-killing win: Treesa-Gayatri stun US pair at World Championships

Unseeded Indian pair Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand stunned 16th seeds Lauren Lam and Allison Quynh Lee of the United States in straight games to storm into the pre-quarterfinals of the women's doubles event at the BWF World Championships here on Tuesday.

The Indian duo needed just 38 minutes to beat their fancied opponents 21-15, 21-12 and advance to the next round.

The victory came on a memorable day for Treesa and Gayatri, who were conferred with the prestigious Arjuna Awards earlier on Tuesday.

The Indians made a confident start, adopting an aggressive approach from the outset. Treesa took the lead in attack, using her powerful smashes to finish points, while Gayatri kept the rallies going and found success with her deft drop shots.

The strategy paid off as the Indians comfortably pocketed the opening game. They continued in the same vein in the second game, racing to an 11-4 lead at the interval.

Treesa and Gayatri maintained the pressure after the break, while a string of unforced errors from their American opponents made their task easier.

Quick hands and sharp line judgement were among the highlights of the Indian pair's performance as they closed out the match 21-12.

Ayush Shetty registers biggest win of his career
Giant-killer Ayush Shetty produced the biggest upset of the BWF World Championships on the opening day on Monday, stunning world No 1 Shi Yu Qi of China in a thrilling contest to storm into the men's singles second round.

Shetty, who became India's first men's singles finalist at the Badminton Asia Championships since 1965, added another major name to his growing list of high-profile victims. The 21-year-old had defeated Li Shi Feng, Jonatan Christie and Kunlavut Vitidsarn en route to winning a silver medal at the continental championships in April.

Shetty, the 2025 US Open Super 300 champion, defeated Shi 21-14, 13-21, 21-19 in a gripping first-round contest that went down to the wire. Shi fought until the final point, but Shetty held his nerve to complete one of the biggest wins of his career.

Sindhu makes winning start
Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu also began her campaign on a winning note, comfortably defeating Ireland's Sophia Noble in straight games.

The ninth-seeded Indian won 21-7, 21-11 to advance to the next round.

Sindhu is chasing a historic sixth World Championships medal. She has already won two bronze medals, two silver medals and a gold at the event, with her title coming in 2019.
(With PTI inputs)