New Delhi: Seasoned shuttler Ashwini Ponnappa is impressed with the progress made by India’s doubles players on the professional circuit but said Thursday that they will take some time to develop into world beaters.
Of late, doubles players have produced some good results with new pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Sen entering the quarterfinals in Super Series tournaments in Korea and France and mixed combo of Pranaav Chopra and N Sikki Reddy reaching the semifinals at Japan Open.
“I think doubles category is on the right track. But it will take time. Doubles partnerships don’t develop overnight,” said Ashwini, who won two titles at the just-concluded Senior National Championships at Nagpur.
“Doubles players have to train together; it is completely different from how singles players train. But doubles are on right track, Chirag and Satwik are doing well, Pranaav and Sikki are also performing. Ultimately it is results that give confidence and motivates all the players and helps them evolve as better players,” she added.
It was double delight for Ashwini as she won the mixed doubles title with Satwik and the women’s doubles championship with Sikki Reddy.
“It feels good (to win). For a long time not all the top players were playing. This time we were all playing, so it was one of a kind nationals. For me, it was special because I had never won a mixed doubles title before,” Ashwini informed.
“I won the women’s doubles title with Jwala (Gutta) in the past but I never had a mixed doubles partner, so it was a first for me and it really felt good especially because Sikki and Pranaav are more experienced than we are right now. The win was a huge confidence-booster because Sikki and Pranaav also have a better ranking than us,” she added.
The 28-year-old from Bangalore is one of the most experienced doubles players in the country. She had won the 2011 World Championships bronze with Jwala and also bagged the Commonwealth Games gold and silver in the last two editions at New Delhi and Glasgow.
Ashwini is hoping to be third time lucky but reckoned it will be a challenge. “I definitely want to go and win a medal again next year in Australia at the Commonwealth Games. I think it will be a big challenge for everyone because all will be coming to win,” she pointed out.
press trust of india