Posted On Saturday, July 21, 2012 at 08:31:19 AM
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| Ashwini Ponnappa (right) and Jwala Gutta in action during a tournament in Hyderabad last year |
It’s an unusually cool day in Delhi. Summer is already upon the Capital, yet the skies are grey and the mercury low. Inside the Siri Fort Stadium the Indian Open is into its second day and Jwala Gutta nonchalantly enters the main arena and sits in the player’s enclosure.
The crowds were sparse as Saina Nehwal’s match was scheduled for later in the evening. On court number 5, the corner court, qualifiers in the mixed doubles events Tarun Kona and Ashwini Ponnappa of India are fighting game point against the Indonesian pair of Muhammad Rijal and Debby Susanto in the first round. This is the part where irony enters.
Most of the cameramen in that hall slowly turn towards Jwala, who was not playing till later in the day, and starting clicking sporadically. It was only natural for Jwala for years has been the most controversial and enigmatic badminton player from India and whether she was smashing shuttles or perched on a chair a photo opportunity always beckoned. Nothing has changed till now.
It’s probably not an issue in her mind but Ashwini will, for a long time, have to play in the shadow of her more experienced and more popular (Jwala, according to a poll, is even more popular than Saina) doubles partner.
She may make one half of India’s deadliest badminton doubles pair but for obvious reasons her name is always mentioned after Jwala’s. Many forget that behind each and every Jwala’s recent historical victories Ashwini was there and in London she will get her chance to prove that she’s not just a tag-along.
“All I want to do is go to London and give my best. See Jwala is who she is but that never bothered me in fact I think she deserves all that. It’s great playing with her and all the rest does not really matter. I just have an amazing time playing with her,” says Ashiwni. In fact, the partnership between the two players was by accident and not something planned. In her early days Ashwini would partner with Bangalore player Nitya Sosale, a partnership that saw the two win four National sub-junior and junior titles.
However, everything changed in 2008 when the then best women’s doubles combination in India of Jwala and Shruti Kurien broke-up due to differences between the players. It was then that Jwala decided to pair with a younger partner, Ashwini.
Though not much of a conundum – Jwala was experienced and left-handed which would have suited the right handed Ashwini, who was young, talented and also possessed one of the strongest smashes in the circuit — Ashwini had to make the tough choice and break it off from Nitiya.
“It was a difficult decision for me to break up with Nitya, but the future mattered. Winning national titles, after some time, loses its charm and what matters is achieving recognition at the international level,” Ashwini had said when asked about her decision to shift partners.
A yearning to win and after a quick chat with her coach former national champion Vimal Kumar, Ashwini was ready to move on. The combination was not a hit to start with, the pair faltered quite a few times and had its share of defeats but once they achieved an understanding the splurge came. Gold at the Delhi Commonwealth Games, the first ever medal by an Indian pair (bronze) at the 2011 London World Championships and finally the first doubles pair from India to qualify for the Olympics.
The two didn’t just shock people or exceed expectations, they created history. “The doubles teams going to London are really good and frankly speaking this time we have a realistic chance of winning a medal in the doubles,” said national coach Pullela Gopi Chand.
 “They have been doing well and though the doubles event is tougher than the singles because of the lesser number of teams playing but we should do well.” Ashwini eventually went on to win that match with Tarun. They were a game down but they clawed and fought their way past Rijal and Susanto.
A small crowd had gathered by then and as the two won match point the roar, though small, was enough to show that Ashwini Ponnappa was a force to reckon with without Jwala by her side.
► All I want to do is go to London and give my best. See Jwala is who she is but that never bothered me. I think she deserves all that
- Ashwini Ponnappa Indian Badminton Player
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08:23:44 AM