"If we are meant to be in the Olympics, then it’s fine" - Ashwini Ponnappa on women's doubles pair chances of qualification in Paris 

Indian shuttler Ashwini Ponnappa has set to better her performance along with women's doubles partner Tanisha Crasto rather than focusing on the Paris Olympics qualification.

The World No. 28 pair of Ashwini and Tanisha won the 2023 Guwahati Masters, a super 100 level event, on Sunday (December 10) after defeating Yu Chien Hui and Sung Shuo Yun in straight games 21-13, 21-19 in the final.

This was the third title for the Indian duo since they joined forces in January this year. Ashwini Ponnappa and Tanisha Crasto won Nantes International Challenge and Abu Dhabi Masters doubles titles this year.

In the lastest BWF rankings to be updated on Tuesday, the Indians will attain the ranking of 23 following their second Super 100 title this year.

Ashwini and Tanisha, who have an age difference of 14 years, are behind young sensation pair of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand (currently ranked 19 in the world in women doubles). The top 16 pairs in the women's doubles will make the cut for the Paris Olympics next year.

"The goal of course is to play at the Olympics but since we are a new pair, our focus is to do well in every single tournament we are playing, to put up a good show and that is what we are focusing on right now,” Ashwini told news agency PTI.

“I think there are a lot of factors to get to the Olympics, and for us it is important to simplify our journey and focus on our performance, and if we are meant to be in the Olympics, then it’s fine," the 34-year-old added.

Ashwini Ponnappa to push for her Olympics dream for one more time

Bangalore-born Ashwin Ponnappa was influenced by her mother to take up the sport at a tender age of two and a half years. Her interest soon transformed into passion.

She and Jwala Gutta raised the bar for women's doubles in the country through their remarkable performance and also paired at two Olympic events in 2012 in London and 2016 in Rio, though they never went past the group stage in the quadrennial showpiece.

After the conclusion of Rio Olympics, Ashwini and Jwala ended their partnership, with the former joining B Sikki Reddy. Ashwini Ponnappa has won five medals at Commonwealth Games (2 golds, 2 silvers and a bronze).

She still has the dream to finish on the podium in the Olympics and her new alliance with the Dubai-born Tanisha Crasto is just another ray of hope.