India’s campaign at the Denmark Open 2026 received a significant boost on Thursday as Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand secured a place in the women’s doubles quarterfinals with an impressive straight-game victory over Indonesia’s Rachel Allessya and Rose Febi Setianingrum.
The Indian pair won 21-16, 21-17 in 45 minutes, overcoming the fifth seeds to continue their run at the BWF World Tour Super 750 tournament in Odense. The victory was another encouraging result for Treesa and Gayatri, who won a bronze medal at the 2026 BWF World Championships in New Delhi. Their performance in Denmark demonstrated their ability to compete against established international combinations, with the Indians maintaining control through both games and converting their opportunities to close out the contest.
The opening game saw the Indian pair establish an early advantage before managing the Indonesian challenge to take it 21-16. Rachel and Rose attempted to put pressure on the Indians in the second game, but Treesa and Gayatri remained composed, maintained their attacking intent and sealed the match 21-17.
The win sets up a challenging quarterfinal against Malaysia’s second-seeded combination of Pearly Tan and Thinaah Muralitharan on Friday. The Malaysians entered the last eight after defeating Hong Kong’s Yeung Nga Ting and Yeung Pui Lam 21-12, 21-19. For the Indian duo, the next match will provide another opportunity to test their progress against a highly ranked pairing and build on the confidence gained from their World Championships medal.
Tanvi Sharma sets up quarterfinal clash with world No. 1 An Se Young. India also celebrated a strong result in women’s singles, as Tanvi Sharma defeated Germany’s Yvonne Li 21-17, 21-19 to book her place in the quarterfinals. The young Indian produced a composed performance to win in straight games, avoiding a deciding game and keeping her campaign on track.
Tanvi’s next challenge will be considerably tougher, with the Indian scheduled to face South Korea’s An Se Young, the reigning world No. 1, in the quarterfinals. The match will test Tanvi against one of the most consistent players on the international circuit and offer a valuable opportunity to measure herself against elite opposition. Meanwhile, Ashmita Chaliha’s campaign ended in the pre-quarterfinals after she lost 18-21, 10-21 to Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi. Chaliha was unable to force a decider after dropping the opening game, with Yamaguchi pulling away in the second to complete the victory.
Kidambi Srikanth’s fight falls short against Alex Lanier. In men’s singles, former world No. 1 Kidambi Srikanth showed flashes of the form that made him one of India’s leading badminton players during his breakthrough 2017 season, but ultimately lost to reigning world champion Alex Lanier of France. The 33-year-old Indian took the opening game 21-11, using his trademark net play, deceptive angles and controlled exchanges to trouble the 21-year-old Frenchman. Lanier responded in the second game, raising his level to win 21-15 and force a decider.
Srikanth continued to compete, but Lanier maintained his momentum and secured the third game 21-15 to complete an 11-21, 21-15, 21-15 victory in one hour and six minutes. Although the result ended Srikanth’s campaign, his opening-game performance offered an encouraging reminder of his technical strengths. His ability to vary the pace and use the net effectively challenged Lanier early, but the Frenchman’s response over the final two games proved decisive.
The Denmark Open, a BWF World Tour Super 750 event, is an important stop on the international circuit, bringing together leading players across singles and doubles. With Treesa and Gayatri and Tanvi progressing, India retain opportunities to make an impact in the quarterfinal stage.
India’s emerging talent offers hope, but tougher tests await. Thursday’s results presented a mixed picture for Indian badminton. Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand continued to build on their World Championships success, while Tanvi Sharma earned an opportunity to test herself against the world’s leading women’s singles player. Their progress highlights the importance of converting promising performances into consistent results against higher-ranked opposition.
The quarterfinals will demand greater precision, patience and tactical adaptability, particularly against established combinations such as Pearly Tan and Thinaah Muralitharan. For Srikanth, the defeat against Lanier was a reminder that flashes of brilliance must be sustained across an entire match to overcome younger opponents capable of adjusting their tactics. His opening-game performance was encouraging, but Lanier’s response ultimately decided the contest.
With two Indian entries reaching the last eight, the focus now shifts to whether they can turn Thursday’s progress into deeper runs at the Denmark Open 2026.
