Asian Championship Tests the Strength of Indonesia's "Next Gen"

There are no names of Jonatan Christie, Gregoria Mariska Tunjung, and Fajar Alfian/Muhammad Rian Ardianto in the Indonesian badminton team competing in the Asian Mixed Team Championships. Those who will compete in Qingdao, China, from February 11-16, 2025, are athletes who will carry the name "Red and White" in the global badminton competition in the coming era.

Indonesia brought 15 athletes to the biennial championship that has been held since 2017 and serves as a qualification for the Sudirman Cup. Besides Asia, tickets to compete in the Sudirman Cup in Xiamen, China, from April 27 to May 4, are also contested by other countries through the Oceania, Africa, and Pan America championships, which are also being held this week.

In Qingdao, 12 teams competed since the preliminary round divided into four groups. The Indonesian team, along with Malaysia and Hong Kong in Group B, and other participants competed in a round robin format to become the top two teams in each group to advance to the quarter-finals.

The four teams that advance to the semifinals are entitled to represent Asia in the Sudirman Cup. However, if the defending champion and/or the host (China as both the host and the defending champion) make it into the top four positions of the Asian Championship, another team with the best world ranking, which did not qualify based on the final results of the continental championship, will replace them until the number of participants in the Sudirman Cup reaches 16 teams.

With the current position as the third-ranked team in the world, Indonesia has a great opportunity to compete in the Sudirman Cup. Nevertheless, the Asian Championship should not be underestimated, especially since Indonesia has never won, nor even reached the final.

Indonesia's best result in this biennial event was reaching the semifinals in Hong Kong in 2019. In 2017 and 2023—the 2021 championship was canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic—Indonesia was eliminated in the quarterfinals.

In the competition in Dubai, United Arab Emirates 2023, the defeat by South Korea in the quarter-finals occurred when Indonesia was the third seed. At that time, the "Red and White" squad was strengthened by senior players such as Gregoria, Fajar/Rian, and Anthony Sinisuka Ginting.

Fortunately, Indonesia was still able to participate in the 2023 Sudirman Cup as one of the four additional teams with the best world rankings. However, during the competition, Anthony and his teammates only managed to secure second place in the group after losing to Thailand and being eliminated by China in the quarter-finals.

If Indonesia does not want to rely on the world team ranking to get a ticket to the 2025 Sudirman Cup, they must accelerate from the first match in Qingdao on Tuesday (11/2/2025), starting at 09.30 local time or 08.30 WIB. The competition in Group B could be tight with the presence of Hong Kong and Malaysia.

Although ranked below Malaysia (fifth position) in the world team rankings, the quality of Hong Kong's players (ranked tenth) should not be underestimated. The result against Hong Kong could be the key to Indonesia's journey: advancing to the knockout stage or being eliminated in the group stage for the first time.

The match against Hong Kong could also be a test for the Indonesian squad without senior players, as will be experienced by Alwi Farhan. The 2023 junior men's singles world champion has the same experience when playing in the 2024 Asian Team Championships in Malaysia as a qualifying event for the Thomas and Uber Cups. However, this is the first time Alwi will play as the first single because when he appeared in Malaysia, he was under Chico Aura Dwi Wardoyo.

Alwi will also face players who are more experienced than him during his time in Qingdao, including in the group phase. If he is fielded, his potential opponents from Hong Kong are Lee Cheuk Yiu or Ng Ka Long Angus. Meanwhile, Malaysia will rely on Leong Jun Hao or Justin Hoh in the men's singles.

Other players, namely Putri Kusuma Wardani, Siti Fadia Silva Ramadhanti, Daniel Marthin, and Rinov Rivaldy have experienced being the main players in their respective sectors in the team championship, in the 2023 Sudirman Cup qualification or the 2024 Thomas and Uber Cup. However, for doubles players in particular, the Asian Championships in Qingdao will be a different challenge because they will appear with new partners.

Daniel, for example, will play with Muhammad Shohibul Fikri after Daniel separated from Leo Rolly Carnando and Fikri was separated from Bagas Maulana. In Qingdao, another men's doubles player who could alternate with Fikri/Daniel is Yeremia Erich Yoche Yacob Rambitan/Rahmat Hidayat.

The biggest challenge for Daniel and his friends in the early stages will come from Malaysia. Although not reinforced by the two best men's doubles, Malaysia has a pair with solid performances in early 2025, namely Man Wei Chong / Tee Kai Wun. The world's 12th ranked pair became semifinalists in the Malaysia Open Super 1000 and won the Indonesia Masters Super 500, among others by defeating fellow Malaysian seniors, Aaron Chia / Soh Wooi Yik, and Fajar / Rian in the semifinals and finals.

In women's doubles, the choice to field the formation remains with Fadia/Lanny Tria Mayasari or Rachel Alessya Rose/Meilysa Trias Puspitasari. In addition, Fadia can also play mixed doubles with Dejan Ferdinansyah as an alternative to the pair Rinov/Lisa Ayu Kusumawati.

Whoever the players are, Hong Kong players will be tough opponents to beat in both women's and mixed doubles. Hong Kong has the world's 13th-ranked women's doubles, Yeung Nga Ting/Yeung Pui Lam, and the experienced mixed doubles, world's fifth-ranked Tang Chun Man/Tse Ying Suet. Rinov trailed 1-3 to Tang/Tse when paired with Pitha Haningtyas Mentari, while Lisa (with Rehan Naufal Kusharjanto) has always lost in eight matches.

If the opponent changes partners, we have to be able to quickly read their pattern.

The new pair duet, Rinov/Lisa or Dejan/Fadia, will also be tested quite hard when they play against Malaysia on Thursday. They bring the world's fourth-ranked pair who have performed consistently in the first three tournaments of 2025, namely Goh Soon Huat/Lai Shevon Jemie. Goh/Lai reached the semifinals at the Malaysia and India Opens, then the quarterfinals at the Indonesia Masters.

Facing the challenges that will be faced in Qingdao, Fikri said that the men's doubles players must be ready to play with any partner. Moreover, partner exchanges are common in team championships.

"If the opponent changes partners, we must be able to quickly read their pattern. Moreover, all matches in the team championship are decisive. We must be able to play without burden," said Fikri.

The Thailand Masters finalist with Daniel said that one of the things he was wary of when playing against Hong Kong was the possibility of Tang being deployed in the men's doubles. Although he specializes in mixed doubles, Fikri said that it is not impossible that Tang will play in the men's doubles because he has a lot of experience.

Mixed doubles coach Rionny Mainaky did not deny the possibility of Fadia being fielded in two events. Moreover, the player who was appointed as the women's captain is considered to have enjoyed playing in women's doubles and mixed doubles.

"So far, Fadia has really enjoyed her role playing doubles. Pras (Prasetyo Restu Basuki, women's doubles coach) and I had a good discussion on how Fadia could get the right training in both sectors," said Rionny.

Meanwhile, representing their colleagues, Rinov and Fadia, who were appointed as captain and vice captain of the Indonesian Team, said that togetherness could be the key in the team championship. They also hope that togetherness can produce good results, whatever the challenges.