NEW DELHI: Ashwini Ponnappa has been the flagbearer of Indian badminton in ladies’s doubles for over a decade. Having cast a world-class partnership with now-retired Jwala Gutta, the place the doubles duo received historic medals on the Commonwealth Video games and World Championships, Ashwini, now 34, is gearing up for her third Olympics in Paris with a companion 15 years youthful to her – Tanisha Crasto.
After representing India with Jwala at two successive Olympics in London and Rio, Ashwini missed the bus for the Tokyo Video games in 2020. However after pairing up with Tanisha in January final 12 months, not solely she discovered an ready ally however managed to safe a prized Olympics spot after going by way of a gruelling qualification pathway. The duo is presently the highest-ranked Indian ladies’s doubles pair within the BWF chart.
“It has been an ongoing partnership with Tanisha and we’ve got put in loads of effort to get to a degree to have the chance to characterize on the Olympic Video games. We now have grown fairly a bit over the previous one 12 months since we began enjoying collectively. For us, our objective has been to carry out and take a look at alternatives as and after they current themselves. It has been a relentless effort for us,” Ashwini advised TOI in an interview.
“I imagine our chemistry on-the-court goes nice. We each are open to studying on the go. That understanding makes it work for each of us and helps us acquire confidence,” she added.
Earlier than Tanisha, Ashwini had N Sikki Reddy as her doubles companion after the 2 got here collectively in 2018. They tasted comparatively first rate success on the tour, having received bronze on the 2018 Gold Coast CWG. Nevertheless, harm setbacks, coupled with bouts of sickness, led to some forgettable performances in 2019 and the duo did not qualify for Tokyo.
After taking a short break from the court docket, Ashwini started the partnership with Tanisha and the duo had some success at a few Tremendous 100 Sequence and Challenger meets earlier than securing their berth for Paris. “I’ve loved each my partnerships and the model of each the gamers. The power ranges are completely different and now enjoying with an upcoming athlete is a brand new studying curve for me and I get pleasure from this section too.
Requested concerning the feeling of representing the nation at her third Olympics, Ashwini appeared enthusiastic about her prospects. “I’m trying ahead to doing no matter it takes to offer one of the best that each my companion and I can provide there. The Indian contingent, as an entire, has an important probability in Paris. We’re all working onerous to win the medal for India, this can be a dream for any athlete,” she added.
After representing India with Jwala at two successive Olympics in London and Rio, Ashwini missed the bus for the Tokyo Video games in 2020. However after pairing up with Tanisha in January final 12 months, not solely she discovered an ready ally however managed to safe a prized Olympics spot after going by way of a gruelling qualification pathway. The duo is presently the highest-ranked Indian ladies’s doubles pair within the BWF chart.
“It has been an ongoing partnership with Tanisha and we’ve got put in loads of effort to get to a degree to have the chance to characterize on the Olympic Video games. We now have grown fairly a bit over the previous one 12 months since we began enjoying collectively. For us, our objective has been to carry out and take a look at alternatives as and after they current themselves. It has been a relentless effort for us,” Ashwini advised TOI in an interview.
“I imagine our chemistry on-the-court goes nice. We each are open to studying on the go. That understanding makes it work for each of us and helps us acquire confidence,” she added.
Earlier than Tanisha, Ashwini had N Sikki Reddy as her doubles companion after the 2 got here collectively in 2018. They tasted comparatively first rate success on the tour, having received bronze on the 2018 Gold Coast CWG. Nevertheless, harm setbacks, coupled with bouts of sickness, led to some forgettable performances in 2019 and the duo did not qualify for Tokyo.
After taking a short break from the court docket, Ashwini started the partnership with Tanisha and the duo had some success at a few Tremendous 100 Sequence and Challenger meets earlier than securing their berth for Paris. “I’ve loved each my partnerships and the model of each the gamers. The power ranges are completely different and now enjoying with an upcoming athlete is a brand new studying curve for me and I get pleasure from this section too.
Requested concerning the feeling of representing the nation at her third Olympics, Ashwini appeared enthusiastic about her prospects. “I’m trying ahead to doing no matter it takes to offer one of the best that each my companion and I can provide there. The Indian contingent, as an entire, has an important probability in Paris. We’re all working onerous to win the medal for India, this can be a dream for any athlete,” she added.