IBL Season 1: How did the icon players fare?

Pune Pistons: Ashwini Ponnappa

Record : Played : 5, Won : 4, Lost : 1

Ashwini Ponnappa struck up a feared combination with Jochim Fischer in the mixed doubles (Getty Images)

Ponnappa was easily the Indian diva, and she proved that she was not just the diva in this league. Teaming up with Joachim Fischer, she formed a formidable mixed doubles team that proved to be tough to beat through the tournament. She played the perfect foil for Fischer’s attacking game and almost made the mixed doubles match an easy victory for the Pune Pistons team.

Ponnappa and Fischer delivered key victories for the team in two must-win matches against Delhi and Mumbai to clinch the tie in the league stages. Their play was indeed something special and her ex-partner Jwala Gutta, commented on how Pune would be contenders, just because it would be tough for others to clinch the deciding mixed doubles tie. It was unfortunate that the team couldn’t stretch Hyderabad to the last match in the semi’s, as we might have seen this pair give a tough fight to the make-shift combination of Saina and Shem Goh.

In complete contrast to her ex-partner Jwala, Ponnappa was a figure of calm and composure in the dug-out during the matches. Like Jwala, Ponnappa too would be hoping that women’s doubles makes the cut next year as she looks to prove that it was not all Fischer that got them the wins in the IBL. Despite the controversy around the reduction in base prices and the low price at the auctions, Ponnappa showed that she will turn out to be a valuable asset for the Pune team.