Canada Open: Jwala Gutta, Ashwini Ponappa enter women’s doubles final

Calgary (Canada): Commonwealth Games silver-medallist duo of Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa entered the women's doubles final of the Canada Open badminton tournament after posting a straight-game victory over Shiho Tanaka and Koharu Yonemoto here on Sunday.

The third-seeded Indian combo outplayed the Japanese pair 21-17, 21-16 in their semifinal match that lasted just half-an-hour.

The bronze medal winners of the 2011 World Championship, Jwala and Ashwini will clash with the top seeded Dutch pair of Selena Piek and Eefje Muskens in the final.

It was an easy match for Jwala and Ashwini, who hardly broke a sweat against their Japanese opponents. In the first game, the Indians trailed in the beginning but once they caught up with their rivals at 4-4, there was no looking back for them.

From tied 6-6, Jwala and Ashwini surged ahead to a 9-6 lead. Although the Japanese girls came from behind to hold them at 14-14, the Indian pair earned four points on the trot to move to 18-14, and eventually sealed off the opening game.

World No 13 Indian combination broke away early from tied 2-2 in the second game and simply went on extending the lead to finally wrap it up rather comfortably.