Badminton: Ashwini-Tanisha pair wins women's doubles title at Guwahati Masters

 India's Ashwini Ponnappa and Tanisha Crasto on Sunday won the women’s doubles title of the Guwahati Masters 2023 badminton tournament, beating Chinese Taipei’s Sung Shuo Yun and Yu Chien Hui 21-13, 21-19 in the final in Guwahati, Assam on Sunday.

This was Ashwini and Tanisha's second title as a pair, having previously won the Abu Dhabi Masters Super 100 this year. Additionally, they reached the final of the Syed Modi International Super 300 tournament in Lucknow last week.

The Indian shuttlers dominated the first game. After tying at 1-1, Ashwini Ponnappa and Tanisha Crasto took charge, steadily extending their lead and confidently securing the opener for a lead.

Continuing their momentum in the second game, the Indian duo held a five-point lead at the break. Then, the Taipei pair fought back, narrowing the gap to one at 12-11, setting the stage for a tight finish.

Momentum shifted towards the Taipei pair as they levelled the score at 19-all. Yet, fuelled by the home crowd, Ashwini and Tanisha clinched the final two points, securing the title.

Results of the Guwahati Masters 2023 badminton event will factor into players’ qualifying rankings for the Paris 2024 Olympics.