MACHIMANDA Ashwini Ponnappa

General
PLAYING DOUBLES
At age 19 she stopped playing singles in order to focus on doubles disciplines. "I've loved playing doubles, but singles was something that I still did want to pursue and try, though my performances in doubles were way better. It was natural that I would be chosen as part of the national camp as a doubles player, but at that point it wasn't something that I voluntarily did. Little by little doubles became more serious and I was asked not to play singles anymore." She says she prefers playing at the rear of the court, but has had to adapt between playing women's and mixed doubles. "There's a huge difference between the two events, because in women's doubles, if you have a partner who rushes in and moves into the net, it works out quite well because I'm opening out and looking out at the back. But then if it's mixed doubles, the girl is by and large expected to move into the net, and I've always struggled doing that. Over time I've learned to move in and trust the guy at the back half of the court. It's hard, but then I've learned to adapt." (business-standard, 24 Jul 2022; BWF TV YouTube channel, 11 Feb 2021; firstpost, 12 Apr 2019)

NEW PARTNERSHIP
In December 2022 she began teaming with Tanisha Crasto in women's doubles. Despite the 14-year age difference between the pair, she says she does not consider herself a mentor to Crasto due to the experience of her partner. "It's good. Tanisha is young, she's very energetic. It's nice to play with that energy. I would say there's a vast difference from when I started playing [doubles] to the youngsters now. They've all been playing international tournaments from when they were 17 or 18. They've all been there, done that. The doubles game has changed and the approach has changed. There's not a lot of mentoring [in the partnership], she is good in mixed doubles and she's done well there. Women's doubles is a little different, but it's good to have someone who moves into the net. She has that energy and speed on the court." (scroll, 27 Feb 2023)

INDIVIDUAL FITNESS PROGRAMME
She has followed an individual fitness programme since she began experiencing back issues in 2010. "Until that point, I was training just as everyone else in the national camp was doing. But then my back problem was very bad and I was advised not to run. That's when I realised that I needed to do something that's more individual for my sport and my needs, to help my body specifically." In 2016 she started working with fitness trainer Deckline Leitao after she began experiencing pain in her Achilles tendon as a result of dengue fever. "I trained with him for two weeks initially. It was all just strength and conditioning work, no rehabilitation. The best thing was not only did his fitness regime get me better, I was also able to play singles in the Premier Badminton League [in India]. That was an eye opener for me, going from severe Achilles pain to playing singles is no joke. I realised I needed to follow Deckline's approach to fitness because it was tailor-made for what my body needed. I can't really take a chance with my physical fitness, and that's something that I wouldn't compromise." (redbull, 29 Dec 2022)

She and women's doubles partner Jwala Gutta became the first female badminton players representing India to win a world championship medal when they claimed bronze at the 2011 event in London, England. The medal was also the first won in any doubles event by a badminton player representing India at the world championships. (SportsDeskOnline, 17 Aug 2022)

She and partner Jwala Gutta became the first badminton players representing India to win a gold medal in any doubles event at the Commonwealth Games, when they triumphed in women's doubles at the 2010 Games in Delhi, India. At the 2018 Games in Gold Coast, QLD, Australia, she was part of the first team representing India to claim gold in the mixed team event. (SportsDeskOnline, 17 Aug 2022)