Treesa Jolly‑Gayatri fell 18‑21, 9‑21 to Malaysia’s Pearly Tan and Thinaah Muralitharan in the Asian Games badminton quarterfinals, a straight‑game loss that ended India’s dream of a gold in the mixed‑doubles event. The pair had a spirited start, drawing level at 10‑10 before the Malaysians pulled away with a series of crisp smashes.
But the real twist came in the second game when the Indians slipped 7‑3 down after a flurry of unforced errors. A single mis‑read service and a shaky net shot turned a 3‑0 lead into a 11‑4 deficit, and the world No. 5 pair never looked back.
Meanwhile, Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto pushed the top‑ranked Chinese duo to a tight three‑set thriller, only to fall 14‑21, 21‑18, 18‑21. Their second‑game rally, which saw them claw back to 21‑18, gave India a glimmer of hope that the mixed‑doubles could still make a run.
The loss leaves the Indian doubles camp reeling, but the spirited battles against world‑class opponents keep the medal hopes alive. PV Sindhu, who will face China’s Chen Yu Fei in the women’s singles quarterfinal, and Unnati Hooda, set to play Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi, now carry the torch for India’s remaining chances at glory.
With the singles draws heating up, India’s focus shifts to the next rounds where every point could tip the scales in the quest for the gold medal.