Defending champions Treesa-Gayatri win Syed Modi International 

Defending champions Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand registered a fighting three-game win over Japan’s Kaho Osawa and Mai Tanabe to retain the women’s doubles title at the Syed Modi International Super 300 here on Sunday.

The top-seeded Indian duo produced an attacking masterclass to rally from a game down and outwit the World No. 35 Japanese pair 17-21 21-13 21-15 in a pulsating one hour and 16-minute final.

The Indians were playing only their second event since Gayatri’s return from a five-month shoulder injury layoff.

The final began with a breath-taking 49-shot rally, setting the tone for a high-intensity contest as both pairs fought tooth and nail before Osawa and Tanabe edged ahead 6-3. A couple of sharp smashes from Treesa pulled the Indians level, and an Osawa forehand error helped them move to 8-6.

The Japanese, however, regrouped to take a slender lead at the interval and maintained their hold to stretch it to 18-15. A backhand cross-court return from Tanabe caught Gayatri off guard, and another Indian error handed the Japanese five game points. Treesa and Gayatri saved two, but Tanabe closed out the opener with a smash.

Switching sides brought a momentum shift as the Indians found their rhythm and showed excellent anticipation to surge to 9-2. Though a few shots drifted into the net, they held an 11-5 advantage at the break, bolstered by another booming Treesa smash from the backcourt.

Treesa and Gayatri continued to dictate the rallies, marching to 17-9. Treesa’s quick racquet speed and sharp movement allowed her to rain down attacking returns, taking the Indians to 20-11. They squandered two game points before a long lift from the Japanese forced the match into the decider.

In the third game, the Indians moved to 7-4 before miscommunication cost them a few points. But sharp net interceptions restored control, and a deceptive net shot from Treesa followed by another well-constructed point gave them a six-point cushion at the interval.

Osawa and Tanabe narrowed the deficit to 12-14, and later 13-15, but a fired up Treesa produced another disguised net shot, and Gayatri unleashed a sharp smash as the Indians closed in on the title.

A delicate drop from Treesa, and a wide shot from the Japanese handed India six match points, and they converted on the second to retain the crown.