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The penultimate day of the Guwahati Masters Super 100 tournament saw a thrilling set of semifinal matches. While Malvika Bansod was India’s only shuttler left in singles, the doubles events saw three Indian pairs battle for a place in the final.
The women’s doubles saw Tanisha Crasto and Ashwini Ponnappa secure a commanding win over their Dutch counterparts and enter their second final in two weeks. The Indian pair are having an impressive run following their victory at the Abu Dhabi Masters in October, and it comes at a crucial time in the Olympic qualification period.
A closer look at the results
Tanisha Crasto and Ashwini Ponnappa took on Debora Jille and Cheryl Seinen from the Netherlands in the semifinals. The first game saw both pairs go neck and neck till the mid-game interval, after which the Indian duo took five consecutive points to lead 15-10. The next eight rallies saw the Dutch pair take only two points, and the Indians wrapped up the game 21-12.
The second game saw Ashwini and Tanisha build on their momentum from the first set and gain a healthy 6-1 lead. They eventually sealed the set with an identical score as the first game, booking their place in the final after a 36-minute battle.
Tanisha also featured in the mixed doubles semifinal, partnering with Dhruv Kapila. The duo took on the second-seeded Singaporean pair of Hee Yong Kai Terry and Tan Wei Han Jessica.
The match began with both pairs alternately taking points, but the Singaporeans found their rhythm and took the lead. The Indians then made a comeback to almost level the score at 18-19, but Hee and Jessica managed to keep their composure and win the game 21-18.
The second set saw skillful play by Hee Yong Kai Terry and Tan Wei Han Jessica. Despite a valiant effort from the Indians, the pair from Singapore took the game 21-15 and won the match.
In the women’s singles category, Malvika Bansod took on Thailand's Lalinrat Chaiwan. The contest saw both players play some brilliant shots but despite a resilient effort from Bansod, Chaiwan wrapped up the match comfortably 21-12, 21-14.
The last match of the day featuring Indian shuttlers was the men’s doubles encounter between the Chinese Taipei pair of Lin Bing-Wei and Su Ching Heng and the Indian duo comprising Hariharan Amsakarunan and Ruban Kumar Rethinasabapathi. The match saw some intense rallies, but the pair from Chinese Tapiei secured their place in the final with a 21-10, 21-19 victory.
Guwahati Masters 2023: Results at the end of Day 5 (Indians only)
This is what India's results looked like after the fifth day of the Guwahati Masters.
Guwahati Masters Women’s Singles Semifinal
Malvika BANSOD (IND) lost to Lalinrat CHAIWAN (THA) 12-21, 14-21.
Guwahati Masters Women’s Doubles Semifinal
Tanisha CRASTO [2] (IND) / Ashwini PONNAPPA (IND) beat Debora JILLE [3] (NED) / Cheryl SEINEN (NED) 21-12, 21-12.
Guwahati Masters Mixed Doubles Semifinal
Dhruv KAPILA (IND) / Tanisha CRASTO (IND) lost to HEE Yong Kai Terry [2] (SIN) / TAN Wei Han Jessica (SIN) 18-21, 15-21.
Guwahati Masters Men’s Doubles Semifinal
Hariharan AMSAKARUNAN (IND) / Ruban Kumar RETHINASABAPATHI (IND) lost to LIN Bing-Wei (TPE) / SU Ching Heng (TPE) 10-21, 19-21.
