GUWAHATI: In a spectacular display of skill and determination, Indian badminton duo Ashwini Ponnappa and Tanisha Crasto secured their second Super 100 title of the year in the women’s doubles final of the Yonex-Sunrise Guwahati Masters.
The second-seeded Indian pair, fresh off their runner-up finish in the Syed Modi International Super 300 event last week, demonstrated aggressive play from the start against Chinese Taipei’s Sung Shuo Yun and Yu Chien Hui.
Tanisha’s impressive net play complemented the team’s strategy, allowing them to claim the opening game convincingly with a score of 21-13.
While Ashwini and Tanisha initially built a comfortable lead of 12-6 in the second game, the Taipei duo fought back with five consecutive points, narrowing the gap to just one point.
Despite the tense moments, the Indian duo maintained composure and capitalised on crucial opportunities.
Tanisha’s decisive net push secured a match point, and they clinched the victory on the first opportunity with a score of 21-19.
Reflecting on the match, Ashwini acknowledged the challenges posed by the drift affecting shuttle movement to the backcourt.
She credited the crowd’s support for boosting their morale and expressed satisfaction with their ability to handle the pressure.
The Yonex-Sunrise Guwahati Masters marked the return of international badminton events to Assam after 14 years, and the enthusiastic local crowd rallied behind the Indian pair during the 40-minute summit clash.
Buoyed by their recent success, Ashwini and Crasto are set to participate in the Odisha Masters in Bhubaneshwar, aiming to solidify their position in the world rankings as they conclude the year on a high note.
In other matches, Thailand’s Lalinrat Chaiwan and Indonesia’s Yohanes Saut Marcellyno claimed the women’s and men’s singles titles, respectively.
Singapore’s Hee Yong Kai Terry and Tan Wei Han Jessica secured the mixed doubles title, while Malaysia’s Choong Hon Jian and Muhammad Haikal clinched the men’s doubles crown in a thrilling finale at the Guwahati Masters.
