Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa lose in semifinals of US Open Grand Prix Gold

Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponappa bowed out in straight games

The Indian Women’s Doubles duo of Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa bowed out of the 2015 US Open Grand Prix Gold after losing 21-17 21-11 to Japan’s Ayane Kurihara and Naru Shinoya in the semifinals in 38 minutes on Saturday.

Game 1 saw both pairs win 2 out of the first points each before the Japanese pair won three straight points to go 5-2 up. The Indian duo then tried to make a comeback and brought the match on level terms again by winning 5 out of the next 7 points to make it 7-7. But the key turn in the game came a few moments later when at the 10-10 mark when the pair of Kurihara and Shinoya won 3 points on the trot to go 13-110,

Gutta and Ponnappa tried to make a comeback thereafter, but, unfortunately, found themselves 2 points behind their opponents at every mark and eventually lost the opening game 21-17.

The Japanese pair then took the confidence of that win into Game2, racing away to an early 4-0 lead and the continuing to pile up the pressure on the Indian pair by winning points at a stretch. The killer blow arrived at the 14-10 mark, when the Japanese pair first won 4 straight points to go 18-10 up and then won 5 out of the next 6 points to clinch the game 21-11 and progress through to the final.

Final Scoreline- Ayane Kurihara/Naru Shinoya(JPN) beat Jwala Gutta /Ashwini Ponnappa 21-17 21-11