How is it possible for Kerala, a state with a very short history of badminton, to produce one of the emerging stars of the Indian badminton scene?
Treesa Jolly, a young woman from the hamlet of Cherupuzha located in the far northern part of the state, was able to achieve success in the sport of badminton under the guidance of a physical education teacher, the assistance of a coach, and plain old-fashioned adolescent grit.
In their first year as a doubles pair on the BWF tour, Treesa and Gayatri Gopichand won a Super 100 title in Odisha, advanced to the semifinals of the All England Championship, and won two medals at the Commonwealth Games.
As a result of these accomplishments, they are currently ranked number 34 in the world. Treesa (19), on the other hand, has a tendency to stay under the spotlight, in contrast to her sister Gayatri, who is the daughter of the legendary Indian badminton player Pullela Gopichand.
However, her life itself is a fascinating tale in its own right.
Five-Year-Old Treesa Inherited Her Father’s Competitiveness
A volleyball court was constructed in their backyard by her father, Jolly Mathew, who worked as a coach for the girls’ volleyball team at the local elementary school and also taught physical education.
Treesa, who was just five years old at the time, inherited his passion for competition, but at her age, badminton was seen to be the more manageable alternative.
According to what she shared with ESPN, “my father’s monthly income was about 10,000 rupees, therefore we were unable to afford coaching or equipment or too many events.”
“He built the court and then placed a tarpaulin sheet over it so that people could play basketball during the rain. Badminton was a sport that was played by individuals, but athletics and everything else required you to be picked and train someplace.”
She was a runner-up in the state’s U-11 tournament when she was only 7 years old, and she went on to win many age-group titles over the next five years. She was a natural at badminton. “Treesa used to beat everyone,” Mathew said in an interview with ESPN.
“This included those trained in extremely prestigious institutions.” “And I was the only one who worked with her!
She took care of everything, from travel arrangements to where we would sleep, even though I had no knowledge of Hindi or English. She puts forth a lot of effort and is quite determined.”
At the age of 13, they came to the conclusion that the only way for her to get well would be to move away from home, even if it meant that her family would have to give up some of the worldly luxuries that they were used to.
After that, she began working out with Dr. Anil Ramachandran, who is the sports director at Kannur University, and she continued to make progress under his tutelage.
Treesa Says After a Successful Performance
Treesa says that after a successful performance in the Khelo India Youth Games, she was accepted into the Gopichand Academy in early 2020.
“Around the same time, Gayatri made the transition to doubles, and I made the switch to playing doubles full-time. After that, our coaches paired us together, and things have gone swimmingly!
“she said at a press conference after a GoSports-hosted event, one of her major financial sponsors. Treesa and Gayatri reached three finals in 2021 at the Challenger level, but it was the back-to-back events staged in India at the beginning of 2022 that really set things in motion.
Treesa got Covid and missed the India Open, but they went on to win the Super 100 Odisha and place second at the Syed Modi in January.
The breakthrough at the All England in March was especially meaningful since they had to enter the tournament as substitutes due to a withdrawal. “I always thought the All England was a strange event.
We planned to come in for a practice, and if we didn’t get in, we figured we could at least train and go shopping “It made her happy, so she laughed. Olympic champions Greysia Polii and Apriyani Rahayu withdrew from their match, allowing the underdogs to go to the semifinals in three games.
“There was no stress on the field, so we all had fun. After our loss to my hero Apriyani, we decided we had to win our next match or people would assume we had cheated our way into the quarterfinals “Treesa revealed a little of her ultra-aggressive mindset by saying.
Treesa’s Aggressive Play
Her aggressive game, along with Gayatri’s dexterity, makes them a powerful duo. “My strength is attacking. If she hits the shuttle at the net, I may attack and she can finish. Well-functioning.
Our game is more offensive; there are fewer rallies. If we’re close off the court, it shows on it; we’ve been close since the academy.
Age is a plus.” Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty are altering how India views double badminton. “Indonesian and Chinese players choose doubles at 13 or 14, while Indians choose singles,” she added. On advice from the Gopichand Academy teachers.
Treesa chose doubles since it brought greater success. Early call, is crucial. “Treesa Jolly rocks. She’s powerful, possesses firm hands, and has a great court presence.
As a coach, I don’t believe she can play women’s singles. She compensates with powerful smashes, drives, and ferocity “Former doubles player and coach Shlok Ramchandran praised the move.
“Their soft-versus-hard play works. Treesa is an old-school doubles player whose strokes are straight yet of high quality.” As they grow more well-known, they will confront tougher difficulties and more prepared opponents.
Their target is the 2024 Paris Olympics. “We’re world No. 34, but by next year we hope to be in the top 10.” “India hasn’t had a successful women’s doubles duo since Ashwini and Jwala. We want to motivate men’s doubles like Satwik and Chirag.”