Shuttling aces and bases

She’s part of the city team – the Bengaluru Blasters at the ongoing Premiere Badminton League that is currently holding its home turf matches at the Koramangala Indoor Stadium, and the smasher is busy rallying for her team mates after her own hard-fought defeat against the Rio Olympic Gold medallist and Spaniard Carolina Marin.

Ashwini Ponnappa from namma ooru played against the World Number 2, but Marin was too much of a match for her. “I am really honoured and happy to have played with her, as I don’t think I could have ever dreamt of playing with such a great world champion and class act. She was really great, and it is an experience I will remember,” says Ashwini, thrilled at the chance of playing Marin. But Ashwini is on to newer ground and hopes this year will change fortunes for her, with her new doubles team mate Sikki Reddy.

The girl known for her doubles career with former partner Jwala Gutta now hopes to see her team get to Delhi with two crucial matches to quality for the semis.

“I am happy to be a part of the Bengaluru team, I was in the team last year as well, so it’s great to be in my home team. We have many star players and playing with them is great, as one gets great exposure, and you can learn so much from the international players. We also have two Koreans (Ko Sung and Yoo) who are great and it has been wonderful playing with them apart from the other seniors. Having more foreigners, and getting to play with them ups one’s game and thinking as well. This is good for Indian badminton, as the Indian players also get a chance to show their game,” says the champ. In the city for their home turf matches, after a rocky start, Ashwini is hoping for a change of fortunes for her team who has not fared very well so far.

Loving the international exposure and learning curve that the league endows — playing or training with World No 4 and Rio Olympic bronze medallist Viktor Axelsen, the highly accomplished Ko Sung Hyun who is currently ranked No 1 in mixed doubles and Yoo Yeon Seong a former top-ranked men’s doubles players, the shuttling from one city to another is a part of their PBL itinerary. “This time, the travel from city to city to play, has not been too bad, and there are breaks in between to recover and rejuvenate,” she adds.

On training with her new partner since November 2016, Sikki Reddy, Ashwini is optimistic, “I have a new doubles partner now, we started playing together in November and there were three tournaments that we’ve been a part of. It’s been good so far,” says the smasher who reached the finals of the Welsh International with her partner. Her training and work with the team is occupying most of her time, but when away from the court, she prefers to take a complete break from badminton, “Personally, I get myself busy with a good warm-up and I don’t do anything special, just follow the basics and what the coach wants us to do. The league has given a good chance to players. But when I have a break, I do other things and prefer not thinking about the game.”

Ashwini will be going to the Malaysian Masters and the Syed Modi Tournament next but for now, the PBL and her city’s fortunes are keeping her busy even as she looks back at her match with Marin and the learning therein, “Bengaluru has a good team, and good players. It all depends on how it goes in the next two matches, to then make it to the semis in Delhi,” she adds.

It’s amazing to see how Indian badminton has slowly created a niche of its own and the badminton star is grounded. “While we do have a long way to go, I think we have the right kind of guidance, and that makes all the difference,” says the girl who trains with coach Tom John  in Bengaluru, and then shuttles to Hyderabad where she trains at the national centre.

But when she’s away from it all, Ashwini loves a good read. Fiction and romantic books are her go-to chill out, and give her a breather. She is also quite the foodie and loves hanging out with friends at Infinitea. Or just with family at home.

Admitting that it’s difficult to go too far in the city traffic, she sticks to places close by her training ground. “I also like Smokehouse Deli. It gets difficult to go too far, so we usually end up at these few places. I love reading and hanging out with my friends and family,” she says.

On the singles route, and how adapting to it is so different from doubles, she adds, “It a totally different game, doubles needs one to get along, understand each other well and it’s a lot more complex but it’s stimulating and interesting. Singles is all about mental strength, but both have their own aspects to the game,” she says.