Not taking a break after Olympics left me emotionally drained: Tanisha Crasto

Tanisha Crasto described her turbulent Olympic debut in Paris as a period of heartbreak, admitting she made the "mistake" of not taking a break afterward, but said reuniting with Ashwini Ponnappa with a renewed approach led to their triumph at the Guwahati Masters.

Tanisha and her seasoned partner Ashwini, who endured three lopsided losses on the trot to make a group stage exit in Paris, bounced back to put up a dominant performance and defend their Guwahati Masters Super 100 title on Sunday.

"It's been a tough transition after the Olympics for everyone, including me and Didi (Ashwini). I made the mistake of not taking a break, and it left me emotionally drained. But Didi took a huge break, and when we reunited, we focused on enjoying the game,” the 21-year-old told PTI Videos.

"We decided not to think about results, just to go out there and enjoy ourselves. And when we did that, the results followed."

The Paris Olympics was a challenging chapter for Tanisha and all other Indian shuttlers as India returned without a medal for the first time in 12-years.

"It hurts because you’re there, representing your country, and when things don’t go your way, it’s tough to process... I didn’t take a break after the Olympics, thinking it would help me snap out of it. But as a person, I was a mess, dealing with insane emotions”, she said.

For her 35-year-old partner Ashwini, the Olympics marked an emotional turning point as well, as she announced that the 2024 Olympics was her last ever.

"We cried together during an interview, and even the interviewer was moved to tears,” Tanisha recalled.

"It was a mix of emotions, but it strengthened our bond”, she added.

Tanisha also had a runners-up finish along side her mixed doubles partner Dhruv Kapila going down to Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Supissara Paewsampra in a tough three-game battle at the Syed Modi International Super 300 event in Lucknow earlier this month.

"We had a very tough draw since the first match. For Dhruv (Kapila), who was recovering from an ankle tear, to pull through until the finals and defeat good pairs is something I’m really proud of."

"They (Dechapol and Supissara) really caught us off guard in the final two games. And they really changed the whole game.

"And Dechapol being a very, very experienced player, he's won a number of titles. I think he really managed the pressure of the game. And he really controlled the game very well in the second and third.

“Could we have won? Yes, 100 per cent. Did we do enough in the second and third games? No. But I’m proud of how we played overall, especially considering Dhruv’s injury,” she said.

As 2024 wraps up, Tanisha is already setting her sights on the challenges of 2025.

“Our first big goal is the Malaysia Super 1000, and we’re going all in... Ashwini and I are likely to be seeded, so it’s an important start to the year.”

The youngster shared her dream of doing well at the marquee events like the All England Championships, World Championships, and the 2026 Asian Games.

“I think every tournament is something that we really wish to do something great... We're really eyeing out for the All England, the World Championships, and also the Asian Games in 2026. So these are the bigger goals as of now," she signed off.