Badminton: Ashwini Ponnappa-Tanisha Crasto suffer defeat by South Korean pair in Olympics

The Indian women’s badminton doubles pair of Ashwini Ponnappa and Tanisha Crasto suffered a defeat in their opening match at the Paris Olympics, losing to the world No. 7 South Korean duo of Kim So Yeong and Kong Hee Yong.

Ashwini Ponnappa and Tanisha Crasto suffer defeat

The Indian pair put up a spirited fight in the first game, but ultimately fell short against their higher-ranked opponents. The South Koreans proved too strong in the subsequent games, securing a comfortable victory.

Two more matches for Ashwini Ponnappa and Tanisha Crasto

With two more group matches to play, Ashwini Ponnappa and Tanisha Crasto will have the opportunity to regroup and challenge for a place in the knockout stages. However, the presence of the world No. 4 pair in their group makes their path to the medal round a challenging one.

The Indian duo will need to raise their game significantly to compete with the top teams in the tournament. Despite the disappointing start, Ashwini and Tanisha will be looking to bounce back and finish the group stage on a positive note.

Focus on PV Sindhu, HS Prannoy next

The Indian badminton contingent will now focus on the singles events, with PV Sindhu and HS Prannoy aiming to progress through their respective groups.

With the Olympics being a highly competitive stage, the Indian players will need to be at their best to achieve their goals.