Ashwini Ponnappa bats for more women doubles events

Commonwealth Games medallist Ashwini Ponnappa on Wednesday lamented that women's doubles is not getting its due in India and stressed on the need to have more events in the category to encourage players.

"Where is the importance given towards women's doubles, there is no importance. What's the motivation given to them? I think Premier Badminton League (PBL) is a great format, but it is sad that they don't have women's doubles," Ashwini told reporters here.

"We need a lot of women's doubles events. I feel a lot of badminton events are trying to neglect women's doubles and that needs to change. Because either if it's on a recreational level or in the professional level, in India we need to include women's doubles in order to motivate them.

"Singles have always been number one, but there are girls who are eager to play doubles as well. We just need to push them and encourage," said Ashwini, who along with her partner Sikki Reddy attended the finals of the Red Bull Shuttle Up - a women's .