Equal partnership: Ashwini mentioned there is no senior or junior on the courtroom.
| Photo Credit: FILE PHOTO: RITU RAJ KONWAR
The partnership with Tanisha Crasto, cast in January this 12 months, has given Ashwini Ponnappa a brand new lease on life. From going by means of 2022 with no ladies’s doubles title (taking part in alongside Sikki Reddy), Ashwini has turned the nook this 12 months – winning three tournaments and ending runner-up twice.
The 12 months has ended with Ashwini-Tanisha claiming the Yonex-Sunrise Guwahati Masters crown, and taking silver in the Yonex-Sunrise Odisha Masters. Ashwini, 34, is happy to be again in the high tier of worldwide ladies’s doubles.
“It feels great. It has been a while since I won tournaments. It’s good to have a promising partnership. The work we’re putting in is converting into wins. Without good results, it can be quite disheartening. It is very motivating to know that we’re going in the right direction,” Ashwini mentioned at the launch ceremony of the forty second Inter Unit PSPB badminton event right here on Tuesday.
With a world rating of 24, Ashwini and Tanisha have a shot at making the lower for the 2024 Paris Olympics. The key is to hold the winning momentum going.
“Our focus is on continuing to improve and keep winning. We need to focus on every match we play from here on. If we do that, we have a good shot at making it to the Olympics,” Ashwini mentioned.
All about stability
Ashwini is a full 14 years elder to Tanisha, however is not eager on the “senior” tag. The trick to success, Ashwini mentioned, is having the proper stability in the partnership.
“There is no senior or junior on the court. It’s an equal partnership where we win and lose together. Tanisha is very expressive on court, which is nice. It is important for me to stay calm because Tanisha has a lot of energy. We can then have the right balance,” Ashwini mentioned.
