Paris

Indian badminton player Ashwini Ponnappa has announced her retirement from Olympic competition following a series of losses in the women’s team event. Ponnappa, with partner Tanisha Crasto, was defeated by Australia’s Setyana Mapasa and Angela Yu in their Group C match, concluding their campaign with three consecutive losses.

Ponnappa reflected on her decision, citing the emotional and mental strain of competitive sports. She stated, ‘It takes a toll emotionally and mentally. I cannot endure this again. It is hard to handle at my age, and after playing for so long, I have reached my limit.’

In the women’s team event, Ponnappa and Crasto finished fourth in Group C and did not advance past the group stage. Their final match against the Australian team ended with scores of 15-21, 10-21.

On a positive note for India, the men’s doubles team of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty advanced to the quarterfinals. They secured a place in the knockout stage by defeating Indonesia’s Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Rian Ardianto in straight games. The Indian duo, ranked third, led Group C with a 21-13, 21-13 win, which lasted 40 minutes. Satwik and Chirag’s performance demonstrated their control and progress in their quest for Olympic success.