BENGALURU: Specialist doubles shuttler
Ashwini Ponnappa, who moved on from long-time playing partner
Jwala Gutta last year to pair up with
Sikki Reddy, suggested that her game was a lot more dynamic now.
"It's good although it's just been a few months," said Ashwini, who reached the final of the Syed Modi international champion ship with the Hyderabadi early this year, after the pair finished runners-up in the Welsh Open late last year.
"It's different because the two of us have similar games and like playing from the back. Neither of us like rushing to the net because we had partners who played well there. But with the realization that one of us had to take charge, we decided that if I move in, she moves back and vice versa," the 27-year-old said on the sidelines of the 38th Petroleum Sports Promotion Board championship.
Ashwini, who also reached the mixed doubles final of the Lucknow event, said that partnering
Sumeeth Reddy
had sharpened her skills. "Playing mixed doubles was a confidence booster. I have been training for it in the past couple of months and I can see the difference it's made to my net game. I have a better idea of where the shuttle is going to come from and where it has to be played. In the past, I never got into that area of thinking because Jwala was so good. It's been a learning process combining with these players," she said.
Ashwini said she was targeting improved performances in the
Sudirman Cup
(May 2128) and Super Series events in Indonesia (June 12-18) and Australia (June 20-25) before setting her sights on next year's Commonwealth Games and world championships. She said the efforts of doubles coach Tan Kim Her - which included pushing her out of her comfort zone by switching her partners - had made her more determined.
"It's important to have a doubles coach who knows his craft. I trust in him," she said.