HYDERABAD: They have many firsts to their credit. Clicking as a pair since coming together in 2009, left-handed Jwala Gutta and right-hander Ashwini Ponnappa have become the numero uno women’s doubles pair in the country. The lethal Indian combo met with their first success in the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games, when they won gold.
That run continued with a bronze in the London World Championship the next year. They added one more feather to their cap by becoming the first Indian women’s doubles duo to clinch a Grand Prix title at the Canadian Open last month. They also have the distinction of being ranked as high as 12th in the world.
They go into the World Championship in Jakarta, Indonesia, starting August 10 to 16, as seeded players, a first for Indian women’s doubles.
Glamorous, outspoken and controversial, the 30-year-old Jwala and 25-year-old Ashwini are always in the news. On the eve of the World Championship, the flamboyant pair spoke to Express.
Jwala Gutta On the Worlds
We’re excited as for the first time, a women’s doubles pair from India is seeded at the World Championship. It’s a great achievement for us, and we’re very much looking forward to it.
On handling pressure
It’s a good feeling and there’s absolutely no pressure as such. Every round is going to be important, and we’ll be focusing one match at a time. We’ve done our homework, and it’s a new high going into the worlds fully aware that you’re seeded in the biggest tournament of the year.
On Canadian Open triumph
The win gave us a lot of confidence, and we’re a confident pair now. I’ve become fitter, and we’ve maturedas doubles players. We’ve good chemistry and have beaten higher ranked players. We’re able to read the game well, so that’s an advantage for us.
Ashwini Ponnappa On their success
We came together in 2009 but our first appearance in the worlds was 2010. The next year, we won bronze. In 2012, it was not held as it was an Olympic year. We played last year, so this is our fourth worlds together.
On preparations
Preparations are more or less done. We’re looking for an all-round improvement in our game, making sure all the points are touched.
On doubles coach
We’ve been very vocal about the doubles coach for the last two years. It’s very essential as he can finetune our game, especially this being an Olympic qualification year. Jwala and I are managing by training in two different cities. We hope to do better than what we have done once a doubles coach comes. It makes a lot of difference in international competition.
On breaking into top 10
There is a very good chance to break into the top ten by this year, and if we do it by year-end, it’ll be great. We’re looking for some good wins this year, and getting our ranking higher.