Indian badminton stalwart Ashwini Ponnappa on Tuesday, July 30, broke down in tears after making an early exit from the ongoing Paris Olympics 2024. The 34-year-old, who partnered with Tanisha Crasto in the women’s doubles , lost their third straight game on Tuesday, ending their campaign. The Indian pair lost their final Group C game against Australia’s Setyana Mapasa and Angela Yu 15-21, 10-21.
After losing the three Group C matches and failing to earn qualification to the next round, Ashwini further spoke of the Paris Olympics being her last. The 34-year-old, who was left in tears, on being asked if she plans to play the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics said, “This will be my last, but Tanisha has a long way to go.”
“It takes a toll emotionally and mentally; I can’t go through this again. It’s not easy; you can handle it better when you’re younger. Having played for so long, I can’t take it anymore,” she added, struggling to hold back tears.
Ashwini Ponnappa reacts after her last Olympics match:
It is to be noted that Ashwini won her first national title in 2021. She formed a formidable pair with Jwala Gutta and etched her name in history books. The Indian duo won several international titles, including gold at the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games and a bronze at the Uber Cup (2014 and 2016). The Indian duo also won the Asian Championships in 2014, followed by becoming the first Indian pair to win a medal (bronze) at the World Championships.
The Ashwini-Tanisha pair had to get a win in their final match to remain in the competition. Speaking after their exit, Ashwini further reiterated, “We wanted to get a win. Although we hoped for a different and better outcome, the biggest takeaway for Tanisha and me is the journey to the Olympics. It hasn’t been easy.”
Meanwhile Tanisha, who also got emotional and could not hold back her tears, hailed Ashwini of her support. “She (Ashwini) has been my biggest support here. We wanted a better result and to hold our heads high. She motivated me every time,” Tanisha added.