Switch to doubles helped teenage shuttler Gayatri Gopichand

Gayatri Gopichand and Treesa Jolly scripted history as they became the first Indian women’s doubles pair to reach the semifinals of the All England Championships. They defeated second seeds Lee Sohee and Shin Seungchan of Korea 14-21, 22-20, 21-15 on Friday. It’s been a dream debut for Gayatri at this blue riband event of badminton and she has so far followed in the steps of her illustrious father and 2001 champion Gopichand. Gayatri started as a singles player but a switch to doubles and her chance pairing with Treesa, who also trains at Gopi’s academy, is yielding dividends. The 19-year-old is now two steps away from replicating the feat of her father Gopichand, albeit in doubles.

Read AlsoAll England Championships: Gayatri-Treesa sail into semis, Lakshya Sen gets a walkover in last eight

Lakshya Sen is assured of at least a bronze as the 20-year-old made it to the semifinals of the All England Championships after his opponent Lu Guang Zu of China had withdrawn from the quarterfinals. The fast-rising Indian, who won the bronze at the World Championships last year and triumphed in the

And to think that the Gayatri-Treesa duo was not even sure of qualifying for the All England. They were getting ready for the German Open when they got a message that a few last-minute pullouts have ensured them of a spot in the All England draw. “I did not think we will get an entry. It all happened in the last minute and we are very happy that we got an entry into the event,” Gayatri said told TOI from Birmingham. A day before upsetting second seeds Lee So-Hee and Shin Seung-Chan of Korea, Gayatri-Treesa had shocked Olympic champions Greysia Polii and Apriyani Rahayu of Indonesia.

Gayatri's mother and former national champion Lakshmi