Incheon :

India’s doubles exponent in women’s badminton, Ashwini Ponnappa was left without a partner here after Jwala Gutta pulled out and Tarun Kona’s name was not cleared by the Sports Ministry. Though she has resigned to this quirk of fate, after the Asian Games, she is set to try out a new partner to win medals in mixed doubles on the international circuit.

Ashwini is looking abroad for a partner in mixed doubles. She has decided to team up with Russia’s Vladimir Ivanov and the two would be playing from next month’s Denmark Super Series. However, the arrangement will be evaluated and future course sorted out after three more tournaments.

Ivanov has not played with the Indian but is a European champion in doubles. He plays for the Mumbai team in the Indian Badminton League, where they chalked out the plan to forge a partnership.

Ashwini was confident this would boost her chances of winning more medals in international events. With the aim of putting her mixed doubles career on track, she has the backing of the Badminton Association of India. “I’m pretty excited and hoping that the combination works out for us. I have been doing well in India but want to win bigger tournament like the All England and world championships.”

Ashwini has been partnering Tarun in the mixed and the combination’s ranking isNo 40 in the world. Their performances, however, have been under the scanner after they failed to do much on the biggest stage. Tarun’s name was not cleared for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow before this one.

Semifinal Setback

Indian women lost 1-3 to South Korea in the team semifinals to settle for their maiden bronze medal. This was India’s first badminton medal since the men’s team bronze in 1986. Saina Nehwal beat World No 4 Sung Jihyun before PV Sindhu lost to No 6 Bae Yeonju. Pradnya Gadre-N Sikki Reddy and PC Thulasi were no match thereafter.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Sport / by Indraneel Das / September 22nd, 2014