NEW DELHI: The atmosphere inside the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium on Saturday evening was electric. It was pulsating with the noise being made by the boisterous 8,000-strong crowd, hopes rising as the Indian women’s doubles pair Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand put on a brilliant early fight in the semi-finals.
The decibel levels soared when they pulled off the first game against China’s Liu Shen Shu and Tan Ning, but the top seeds re-set and turned the tables as the Indians lost 21-18, 13-21, 8-21. Standing across the net from the 39th-ranked Indians was the ultimate test as the Chinese were the world No.1 pair and defending champions as well. Playing a fearless brand of badminton, they took a 7-2 lead. The world No.1 pair though found their footing as reeled off 10 consecutive points. Trailing 16-18, they smartly and patiently built the rallies and finished them, their five-point streak handing them the game and sending the crowd into a frenzy. It was all level as Treesa and Gayatri edged 12-11 ahead. The turning point arrived moments later in the form of a 49-shot rally at 12-all.
Their sensational run even raised hopes of continuing in as an exciting semi-finals unfolded. Treesa and Gayatri had already scripted a fairytale through the week, ousting three seeded pairs. This bronze could well be the launchpad for higher achievements. The chasm in rankings was barely evident early on as Treesa and Gayatri matched the aggression of their opponents in the first game. Treesa and Gayatri though were full of resilience. The second game though proved a gruelling physical and mental contest. The Indians threw everything at their opponents, but Liu and Tan’s impenetrable defense absorbed the pressure, eventually winning the point. That exchange shifted the tectonic plates of the match. A slight lapse in focus from the home favourites, and errors seeping in, allowed the Chinese to reel off eight straight points, dragging the contest into a decider. “In the second game, they played very patiently. We couldn’t match,” added Gayatri, who father and chief national coach Pullela Gopichand, was an animated figure on the sideline as he guided the through the tough contest.
“We were a bit more confident in the first game,” Gayatri said later. This matchup was a different beast, but their performance on Saturday showed their potential to raise their level to match the current world beating pairs.
