India’s badminton contingent enjoyed a positive opening day at the US Open Super 300 tournament as women’s doubles pair Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand successfully navigated a tricky first-round challenge, while men’s singles player Rounak Chouhan battled through the qualification rounds to earn a place in the main draw.
The performances provided an encouraging start for India at the BWF World Tour event, particularly for Treesa and Gayatri, who were reunited on court after a period disrupted by injury concerns. The tournament is an important opportunity for Indian players to gain ranking points and momentum as the international season gathers pace ahead of several major events on the badminton calendar.
One of the biggest stories of the day was the return of Treesa Jolly, who was competing for the first time after recovering from an ankle injury. The Kerala shuttler showed little sign of rust as she combined effectively with long-time partner Gayatri Gopichand to secure a hard-fought victory over Spain’s Paula Lopez and Lucia Rodriguez. The Indian pair eventually prevailed 21-12, 14-21, 21-13 in a contest that lasted 51 minutes.
The opening game saw Treesa and Gayatri quickly establish control. Their aggressive attacking play and sharp net exchanges helped them surge to an 8-3 lead. Although the Spanish pair attempted to close the gap with a brief scoring run, the Indians remained composed and moved ahead 17-11 before comfortably wrapping up the first game.
The momentum shifted in the second game as Paula and Lucia adjusted their tactics and began finding greater consistency from the back court. The Spaniards entered the mid-game interval with an 11-7 advantage and successfully protected their lead despite a late challenge from the Indian duo.
With the match heading into a decider, Treesa and Gayatri once again raised their level. The Indian pair raced to an 11-6 lead at the break and maintained pressure throughout the final game. Their superior attacking combinations and court coverage ultimately proved decisive as they closed out the match to secure a place in the second round.
The victory marks an important step forward for one of India’s most promising women’s doubles partnerships. Over the past few years, Treesa and Gayatri have emerged as one of the country’s leading doubles combinations, registering notable wins against some of the world’s top-ranked pairs and becoming regular contenders on the BWF World Tour.
The duo will now face Japan’s Sumire Nakade and Miyu Takahashi in the second round. The Japanese pair is known for its speed and defensive resilience, setting up what promises to be a challenging encounter for the Indians.
India also had reason to celebrate in the men’s singles qualification draw, where Rounak Chouhan displayed impressive determination to earn his place in the main competition. The young shuttler began his campaign with a straight-games victory over France’s Enogat Roy, winning 21-19, 21-16. He then faced a much tougher challenge against Chinese Taipei’s Kuo Kuan Lin.
After losing the opening game 13-21, Chouhan responded strongly. He increased the pace of his attack, reduced his unforced errors and gradually took control of the match. The Indian claimed the next two games 21-14 and 21-10 to complete a convincing comeback and secure qualification for the main draw.
His reward is an all-Indian clash against S Sankar Muthusamy Subramanian in the opening round. The match guarantees Indian representation in the next stage and offers both players an opportunity to make a deeper run in the tournament.
Another major attraction for Indian fans will be fifth-seeded Kidambi Srikanth, who begins his campaign against compatriot Saneeth Dayanand. Srikanth, a former world No. 1 and World Championship silver medallist, continues to seek consistency as he works towards rebuilding his ranking and challenging for major international titles once again. The women’s singles draw also features a strong Indian presence. Promising youngsters and established campaigners alike will be looking to capitalize on the opportunity presented by the tournament.
Rakshitha Sree Santhosh Ramraj, Shriyanshi Valishetty, Anmol Kharb, Devika Sihag, Tanya Hemanth, Aakarshi Kashyap and Tanvi Sharma are all set to represent India in the singles competition. Several of these players have impressed on the domestic circuit and junior international stage, making the US Open a valuable platform to gain experience against higher-ranked opposition.
The US Open Super 300 has often provided Indian players with opportunities to break through on the international stage. Previous editions have seen Indian shuttlers make significant ranking gains and build momentum for larger tournaments.
With Treesa and Gayatri already progressing to the second round and Rounak Chouhan successfully advancing through qualification, India’s campaign is off to a promising start. As the competition enters its decisive stages, the country’s players will be hoping to convert early momentum into deep runs and potentially challenge for titles in multiple categories.
For Treesa Jolly in particular, the victory carries added significance. After months of rehabilitation and recovery, her successful return alongside Gayatri offers another encouraging sign for Indian badminton as one of its most exciting doubles partnerships looks to regain its best form on the international stage.
