Paris Olympics Live: India's badminton hopes took a hit as Ashwini Ponnappa and Tanisha Crasto suffered their second consecutive defeat in the women's doubles event at the Paris Olympics. The Indian pair was defeated 11-21, 12-21 by the world number four Japanese team, Nami Matsuyama and Chiharu Shida, in a 48-minute Group C match.
The loss puts Ponnappa and Crasto in a challenging position, with an early exit looming on the horizon. Previously, the Indian duo had lost their opening match against South Korea's Kim So Yeong and Kong Hee Yong. Currently ranked third in their group, Ponnappa and Crasto trail behind the Japanese and South Korean teams.
To advance to the quarterfinals, the top two pairs from each group will need to qualify. In their final group stage match, Ponnappa and Crasto are set to face Australia's Setyana Mapasa and Angela Yu.
Throughout the match against Matsuyama and Shida, Ponnappa and Crasto struggled to gain any momentum. The Japanese team swiftly took control, quickly establishing a 4-0 lead after Crasto lost a long rally. Despite a powerful smash by Ponnappa and another point from Crasto, the Indians were unable to close the gap.
In the second game, the Japanese team continued their dominance, racing to a 7-1 lead early on. Crasto's injury, which required medical attention, further hampered the Indian pair's performance. Although Ponnappa and Crasto managed to secure three consecutive points, the Japanese team ultimately stifled their comeback attempts, finishing with nine match points.
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