When Debutants Face the World Badminton Championships

Competing in major tournaments usually generates greater motivation as well as pressure from within. Indonesian badminton players who will make their debut in the World Championship approach it with the same mindset as they do when facing other championships.

Of the 12 representatives from Indonesia who will compete in Paris, France, from August 25 to 31, 2025, three representatives will experience the atmosphere of the World Championship for the first time. They are Alwi Farhan, Jafar Hidayatullah/Felisha Alberta Nathaniel Pasaribu, and Sabar Karyaman Gutama/Mohammad Reza Pahlevi Isfahani.

In the structure of the BWF championships, the World Championship is at the highest level alongside team events such as the Thomas and Uber Cups, the Sudirman Cup, and the Suhandinata Cup for the junior category. Participants are those who receive invitations from the BWF based on the world ranking list on a specific date. This ranking serves as a benchmark to determine the quota for each country, including the athletes eligible to compete.

Jafar/Felisha and Sabar/Reza are included in the BWF phase one invitation list based on the ranking list as of April 29, 2025, which serves as a reference. In this list, Jafar/Felisha, ranked 20th in the world (currently 11th), holds the status of the number one mixed doubles team in Indonesia, while Sabar/Reza (ranked eighth) is the second men's doubles team below Fajar Alfian/Muhammad Rian Ardianto, who are ranked fourth.

We are certainly very pleased to receive an invitation from BWF, as participating in the World Championship has been one of our dreams. We hope to perform well there.

Alwi received a ticket from BWF through another means. He is ranked as the eighth reserve player, but ultimately qualified at the last minute after Viktor Axelsen withdrew. The 2017 and 2022 world champion is still in recovery following spinal surgery.

In addition to Jafar/Felisha, Indonesia will be represented by Rinov Rivaldy/Pitha Haningtyas Mentari in the mixed doubles. The men's doubles team is also strengthened by Leo Rolly Carnando/Bagas Maulana, while Alwi will defend the "Red and White" alongside Anthony Sinisuka Ginting and Jonatan Christie.

Leo/Bagas have previously experienced competition at the World Championship with their former partners. Leo played with Daniel Marthin in 2022, while Bagas partnered with Muhammad Shohibul Fikri in 2022 and 2023.

That experience is different for Sabar/Reza, who are participating in the World Championship for the first time. They earned this opportunity due to their improved performance in the second half of 2024, during which they reached the semifinals twice and the finals three times out of nine tournaments. One of the semifinals was achieved at the BWF Finals, a championship that is only attended by the top eight representatives from each category based on their achievements that year.

In 2025, the performance of Sabar/Reza fluctuated; however, the semifinal of the All England became a valuable asset and contributed to the ranking points for determining the participants who qualify for Paris 2025. Additionally, the final of the Indonesia Open served as further preparation for competing in their first World Championship at the ages of 29 and 27.

"We are certainly very happy to receive an invitation from BWF because participating in the World Championship is one of our dreams. We hope to perform well there," said Sabar, who is an independent player.

Jafar/Felisha were given the opportunity to compete in the World Championships at the young ages of 22 and 19, respectively. The two athletes, who teamed up in August 2024, gradually achieved success, starting at the international challenge and Super 100 levels that year. This year, they secured their first BWF World Tour title by winning the Taiwan Open Super 300.

At a higher level, where the quality of participants can be equated with the World Championship, Jafar/Felisha achieved their best result by reaching the semifinals of the China Open Super 1000, held from July 22 to 27, 2025. They eliminated two pairs ranked in the top ten of the world and played three games against the world’s second-ranked doubles team, Jiang Zhen Bang/Wei Ya Xin, in the semifinals.

Like all athletes who qualified for the World Championship, including those who have competed multiple times, Jafar/Felisha are also enthusiastic. However, they are trying to control that enthusiasm because both possess an ambitious character that can backfire during play. If left unchecked, this trait could undermine their performance on the court.

Learning from high-level tournaments, they often remind each other about how to focus on the moment they are experiencing, the "here and now" moment if borrowing a term from psychology.

Moreover, as Felisha stated after participating in the China Open, they still need to refine their skills to consistently compete with top pairs, especially players from China and Thailand.

During the preparation period at the Cipayung training center, the factor of consistency is sought to be realized with training quality that does not decline in each session, from the first minute to the last. "In every training session, no matter how challenging the conditions are, we strive for consistency. Therefore, if we can train rigorously with consistency, it is hoped that we can perform the same way in competitions," said Felisha.

2025

Alwi has a moment that he will carry to perform in Paris 2025. The match against Nguyen Hai Dang (Vietnam), in the first round, comes three years after he made his debut in the 2022 Junior World Championship in Spain and two years after becoming the junior world champion in the United States.

"In the World Championship, all participants certainly aspire to be champions. Everyone shares the same spirit and the same pressure. I will learn from the 2022 Junior World Championship," said Alwi.

When the event was held in Santander, Spain, after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Alwi was the second seed in the men's singles and received a bye in the first round. However, Alwi lost his first match in the second round.

Another moment that Alwi took as a lesson was when he won the Macau Open Super 300, from July 29 to August 3, which was his first title in the BWF World Tour. The 20-year-old athlete explained that the championship title at the Macau Open serves as a source of motivation, but he must continue to control his emotions.

Although the World Championship is the largest individual badminton tournament, Alwi does not want to be dazzled by that status. His attitude will not differ from when he participates in other tournaments in order to reduce the pressure and ambition that arise from within himself.

Sabar/Reza also shares the same mindset. Extra training in physical and technical factors was conducted for about two weeks; however, they view the World Championship in the same light as other BWF World Tour tournaments.

"The potential opponents we will face are similar to those in other tournaments, so our mindset when facing the World Championship is the same. We want to enjoy it and not feel burdened by the status of the World Championship. Our focus is to perform well in the first match," said Sabar.

In addition to their journey to the semifinals of the All England and the finals of the Indonesia Open Super 1000 as a foundation, Sabar/Reza received input from Hendra, who has been their coach this year. Hendra, a three-time world champion alongside Ahsan, stated that playing without pressure is a key factor in being able to endure through the final stages of the World Championship.

"Besides that, Koh Hendra said, those who win are usually those who are braver when playing on the field," said Sabar.

Technical and non-technical preparations from the competition experience in the BWF World Tour have been undertaken by Alwi, Jafar/Felisha, and Sabar/Reza for their debut at the World Championship. Now, it all depends on their ability to apply what they have practiced in the match.