New Delhi:
India's best ever women badminton pair of Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa have decided to part ways. This news comes after the pair decided to go their ways with a view to take their career forward.
While Jwala Gutta has decided to only play mixed doubles with Manu Attri, her partner Ashwini Ponnappa shall forge a new partnership with upcoming doubles specialist Sikki Reddy.
It is interesting that the Bengaluru girl has opted for another left-hander to work with, presumably looking to benefit from the variations in angles and the ability of the duo to work the dimensions of the court.
The 24 year old Sikki Reddy is a product of the Gopichand Academy and has enjoyed some success recently with her mixed doubles partner Pranaav Jerry Chopra.
The pair had all the ingredients in them to do well in the doubles as they complimented each other in all fronts. If Gutta was good at the net with her razor sharp reflexes and deft touches, Ponnappa was brilliant covering the court from the back.
The pair had been struggling to keep pace with the ever growing competition in the women's doubles arena.The results have not been upto the mark and the titles had certainly dried up over the last year or so.
The news comes as a big disappointment for Indian badminton fans who cherished every moment of the pair's success. The pair were last seen taking to the court in the 2016 Rio Olympics.
The duo slipped from 14th to 26th in the BWF Women’s Doubles rankings in less than a year. Since the Indonesian Open in June, Jwala and Ashwini lost six straight matches, including all three encounters in the round robin stage of the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa have secured a place among the all time Indian greats
Indian badminton has been blessed with some legendary players who put Indian badminton on the world map courtesy their stupendous performances.
Prakash Padukone is credited for being the first big superstar to make an impact on the world badminton landscape. Padukone won the 1980 All England Championship and gave the Indians a hope that they too could compete against traditional giants like China, Korea, Indonesia and Malaysia.
In the 90's, Pullela Gopichand and Aparna Popat led the Indian challenge by clinching titles on the world tour. Gopichand's moment under the sun came when he won the 2001 All England Title. The turn of the new millennium saw Saina Nehwal becoming the reigning Queen of Indian badminton. Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu brought laurels to the country by winning medals at the Olympic Games.
Among these stars who excelled at singles, there was also a pair who hailed Supreme in the doubles format and brought glory to the country. It was none other than the dynamic pair of Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa who held their fort among the top doubles pair for almost a decade.
Playing for the Indian Flag
The pair brought their best game together when they played under the Indian Flag. The Gutta-Ponnappa pair brought laurels to the country by striking gold at the 2010 Commonwealth Games.
The pair added another feather to their cap by winning the silver medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, besides winning the bronze at the 2014 Badminton Asian championships.
The crowning moment of their doubles career came when they won the bronze at 2011 World Championships. It was the first ever medal won by a Indian doubles pair at the premier tournament World Championships. The pair made the country proud by representing Indian at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics
Notable Performances on the BWF Tour
The pair also did well on the BWF tour by winning the 2015 Canadian Open and finishing as the finalist in the Indian Open. The pair had their last hurrah by reaching the Quarterfinals of the 2015 World Badminton Championship.
