5 min readMay 28, 2026 03:50 PM IST Jwala Gutta had once said she picked Ashwini Ponappa as a partner – not because of her smashes, which were excellent ofcourse. But due to her serves. Now, Tanisha Crasto hoping to reach Jwala’s heights in mixed doubles (she reached World No 6 with V Diju), is proving why a swell serving game can literally win you matches. To get to match point at the Singapore Open, Tanisha sent forth a bamboozler that confounded none less than Yuta Watanabe – a seemingly benign backhand wobble serve that left the Japanese skill-master confounded. Watanabe is a twice Olympic medallist and four-time World Championships podium finisher, including two silvers at mixed doubles. The Japanese 28-year-old isn’t easily frazzled. The two hooting serves at the end, were just the finishing touches of a firecracker game. Her lari (garland) style of explosive bursts, as she strikes a whisk-like rotating pattern with Dhruv Kapila and goes about creating chances while never giving up, has been one of Indian badminton’s most underrated progressions. …