It was a day of double joy for India’s women’s doubles pair of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand as the 2022 Commonwealth Games bronze medallists, named recipients of the 2026 Arjuna Award earlier on Tuesday, followed up the honour by storming into the pre-quarterfinals of the BWF World Championships 2026 at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi.

The unseeded Indian pair produced a dominant performance to defeat 16th seeds Lauren Lam and Allison Quynh Lee of the USA 21-15, 21-12 in the women’s doubles round of 32. Treesa and Gayatri controlled the contest from the outset, recovered quickly whenever their opponents threatened a comeback and wrapped up the match in straight games.

After opening their campaign with a win over Spain’s Paula Lopez and Lucia Rodriguez on Monday, the Indian pair faced a considerably tougher challenge against the seeded American duo. But Treesa and Gayatri showed little sign of being overawed by the occasion, taking the initiative early and maintaining their attacking approach throughout.

Treesa-Gayatri kept the opponents under pressure

The 39th world ranked Indian pair began aggressively, with Treesa taking charge of the attack through her powerful smashes while Gayatri handled the exchanges around the net and at close range. Their combination immediately put Lam and Lee under pressure as the Indians raced into a 10-4 lead in the opening game.

The American pair responded well and gradually worked their way back into the contest, cutting the deficit to 13-15. Treesa and Gayatri, however, did not allow the momentum to shift completely.

The Indians regained control at the crucial stage of the game, tightened their play and closed out the opening game 21-15.

Treesa said the conditions were tricky but credited the pair’s ability to adapt quickly for their strong performance.

“I think the conditions were very much like yesterday — a bit tricky. But we just wanted to adapt quickly and not get too frustrated,” Treesa said after the match.

“As soon as we got to know how the shuttle was moving, I think we could play our game better. We were pretty aggressive today, which worked in our favour. Really happy.”

The Indians carried that momentum into the second game. Lam and Lee offered some early resistance, but Treesa and Gayatri continued to switch positions effectively, making it difficult for the American pair to settle into their attacking rhythm.

The positional changes allowed the Indians to maintain pressure from different areas of the court, while their aggressive approach kept the 16th seeds from building any sustained momentum.

Arjuna Award caps memorable day

The victory came only hours after Treesa and Gayatri were named among the recipients of the 2026 Arjuna Award, adding another significant milestone to their day.

For Gayatri, the honour carried an added personal significance, with her father and former Indian badminton player Pullela Gopichand also having received the Arjuna Award.

“It feels very special. I just feel very proud,” Gayatri said. She also revealed that her father had called to congratulate her after the announcement.

“He just called me and said, ‘Yeah, you got the Arjuna Award.’ I’m so happy that it’s coming home soon,” Gayatri said.

Treesa, meanwhile, described the recognition as a special moment. “It feels amazing. I’m super grateful,” she said.

With the Arjuna Award announcement followed by a straight-set victory over a seeded opponent, Treesa and Gayatri now head into the round of 16 with their World Championship campaign firmly on track.

Treesa also clarified that the strap visible on her foot during the match was not related to an injury. “No, I’m not. It’s just for protection,” she said.

Galle: India’s Rishabh Pant loses his balance while playing a shot on day four (PTI Photo)

The past year has proved to be the toughest phase of Rishabh Pant’s eventful career. After a second successive underwhelming IPL season, where he scored just 312 runs in 14 matches at 28.36, Pant lost the Lucknow Super Giants captaincy and returned to Delhi Capitals. His troubles extended beyond the IPL.He slipped out of India’s ODI plans, even missing out on the reserve wicketkeeper’s spot to Ishan Kishan, and lost Test vice-captaincy to KL Rahul.Yet, whenever Pant dons the whites, everything seems to change.For all his ups and downs in limited-overs cricket, Pant continues to be one of India’s most impactful Test cricketers. Before this Test, the 28-year-old had scored 3,557 runs in 50 Tests at an average of 43.37, with eight hundreds and 19 fifties. Few wicketkeeper-batters in world cricket can match that record.His love affair with Test cricket began fittingly on Aug 18, 2018, when he announced himself by smashing a six off England’s Adil Rashid with his second ball in Tests at Nottingham. Eight years to the day, Pant was at it again, becoming the first Indian and the fastest batter to hit 100 Test sixes while playing another innings that underlined why he is one of India’s biggest match-winners.The knock also revives an intriguing question: Can India really afford to leave Pant out of their plans for the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia?His ODI numbers are modest, 871 runs in 31 matches at 33.50 with one century and five fifties, but Pant possesses the ability to change games in a session.“He’s a pure match-winner. If he has smashed 100 sixes in red-ball cricket, he can be dangerous in white-ball cricket too,” former India keeper and chief selector Kiran More told TOI.On Tuesday, Pant once again demonstrated that game-changing ability. With India searching for quick runs and momentum on Day Four of the rain-hit first Test at Galle, he blasted a 69-ball 66 that tilted the contest decisively in the visitors’ favour.Pant dominated a 54-run seventh-wicket stand with Ravindra Jadeja, who contributed just eight runs. His innings featured the audacity and flair that have become his trademark. The pick of his shots was a sensational charge down the track to Lahiru Kumara before slapping the ball over wide mid-off for six. It was a stroke few would attempt.His rapid 20th Test fifty helped India set Sri Lanka a daunting 372-run target and ensured the hosts remained under pressure.Teammate Devdutt Padikkal, who scored 167 in the first innings, summed up Pant’s value best. “It’s great entertainment. He is one of those batters you love to watch every day of the week. He really took the game to them and put them under pressure. That’s the ability he has. He can win games on his own. Everyone is really happy to have a player like him in our side,” he said.Pant’s second six off Kumara got him the 100th six.At a time when questions continue to surround his white-ball future, on Tuesday Pant served a reminder that genuine match-winners are rare. Every time doubts begin to surface, he finds a way to answer them. And if his Test exploits are any indication, leaving him out of India’s 2027 World Cup plans may prove far harder than it currently seems.

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase shared an intimate selfie via Instagram Story on Tuesday.

In the photo, Chase stood in a master bathroom with an ornate chandelier and a large vanity mirror. He wore a black T-shirt and a gold watch, with his tattoos visible on his arm.

An unidentified woman stood closely behind Ja’Marr Chase and wrapped her arms around his waist and chest. She placed her hands on his midsection while keeping her face hidden behind him.

Chase shared the photo while listening to “Hashtag 1 Fan” by Babyface Ray.

Chase was previously linked to Deja Nicole Hiott. On June 6, 2025, he shared a romantic photo with Hiott on his Instagram Story.

In the photo, Chase gently kissed Hiott on the cheek while holding her face. Hiott smiled as she held a black handbag.

Chase is now preparing for his sixth season with the Bengals in 2026.

During Bengals training camp Aug. 9, Chase spoke with NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe about the emergence of what has been called “Mean Joe” Burrow.

“I like it when Joe’s like that,” Chase said. “I like it when he is pissed. I like the fire that he has. He don’t always bring it out.”

Chase also talked about Burrow’s more aggressive demeanor.

“I want to say his demeanor is just more aggressive,” Chase said. “His face is more aggressive; the way he talks is more aggressive. He got like a little mean mug on his face. I kinda like when he’s like that.”

On Aug. 1, Ja’Marr Chase showed excitement for the upcominng NFL season.

He posted a series of pictures from the Bengals’ practice field via Instagram and wrote, “Oh, what a time it is.”

The post garnered over 80,000 likes.

Ja’Marr Chase had a great 2025 NFL season. Because of his strong performance, he was selected for the AFC team for the 2026 Pro Bowl Games in February.

This was his fifth Pro Bowl in a row in his first five NFL seasons.

He also made Bengals history. Chase became only the second player in team history to make the Pro Bowl in each of his first five seasons.

The only other Bengals player to do this was former star wide receiver A.J. Green, who made the Pro Bowl every year from 2011 – 2015.

Also Read: Gia Duddy grabs attention at Bengals training camp as influencer watches rumored BF Andrei Iosivas practice