The dominance of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty has inspired a new generation of Indian doubles players to aim higher. Tanisha Crasto, once seen as less focused, has completely transformed her mindset with the Olympic goal in sight. This shift is evident in her lifestyle, specifically her commitment to better nutrition and sleep, as well as her increased mental toughness on the court, aided by Ashwini Ponnappa's steadying influence.
By the close of the year, the duo of Tanisha and Ashwini successfully climbed into the Top 25 rankings. Simultaneously, Tanisha's new partnership with Dhruv Kapila has already yielded a minor mixed doubles title. This is a significant development, as India has lacked a powerhouse mixed doubles pair since the era of Jwala Gutta and V Diju ended a decade ago. Tanisha's previous partner, Ishaan Bhatnagar, was sidelined by an ACL tear at the last Nationals but is expected back in February 2024. In the interim, she was paired with Dhruv, who was also lacking a partner due to MR Arjun's injury.
Dhruv explained that the coaching staff decided to pair them up after the Asian Games, and he expressed hope that their victory in Odisha is just the start of a successful two-to-three-year journey. While they are taking things one step at a time, Dhruv is optimistic about the longevity of their partnership. He noted that while he has traditionally focused on the backcourt, he sees a lot of room to grow in his forecourt game. He credited seniors like Arjun, Chirag, and Satwik for their mentorship, noting that training against them daily is invaluable for his development.
National doubles coach Arun Vishnu noted that the future of Tanisha's partnership with Dhruv depends entirely on her preference, as she could either stay with him or reunite with Bhatnagar. According to Vishnu, Tanisha is a natural fit for mixed doubles due to her aggressive style, forward-pressing movement, and significantly improved net play and interceptions this season.
Coach Arun believes the Ashwini-Tanisha pairing has a legitimate shot at qualifying for Paris, putting them on par with Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand. He highlighted the quiet, dedicated work that has gone into developing Tanisha's potential in mixed doubles, a format that suits her competitive and confrontational nature. He observed that Tanisha has evolved from simply chasing and hitting the shuttle to playing a much more strategic game, incorporating a wide variety of serves.