Putri Plays Brilliantly, Indonesia Reaches Asian Championship Finals

QINGDAO, SATURDAY—Putri Kusuma Wardani is always enthusiastic when representing Indonesia in team badminton championships. She demonstrated this enthusiasm with increasingly brilliant performances in each match and helped lead Indonesia to the final of the Asian Mixed Team Championships in Qingdao, China.

Putri's victory over Busanan Ongbamrungphan with a score of 21-10, 21-8, can even be considered the key to Indonesia's victory over Thailand in the semifinals on Saturday (15/2/2025). Indonesia defeated Thailand 3-1 and will face either China or Japan, who are competing in the semifinals on Saturday afternoon.

The challenge faced by Putri is the toughest for the Indonesian squad in facing Thailand. Although Indonesia is ranked fourth, while Thailand is in the seventh position out of 12 teams, Thailand brings several senior players who are more experienced in competing at the top level. Before meeting Indonesia, Thailand eliminated the second seed, South Korea, in the quarter-finals with a score of 3-2.

Ongbamrungphan, the world’s 12th-ranked women's singles player, has three championship titles from the BWF World Tour Super 500 tournaments and has been a finalist at the Super 750 level. The 28-year-old athlete is often trusted to represent her country in world-level team championships. She was part of the Thai team that reached the final of the 2018 Uber Cup and the semifinals in 2020 and 2022.

At the Sudirman Cup event, where the participating teams are determined through continental team championships including the Asian Championships, Ongbamrungphan was on her team when they ranked in the top four in 2017 and 2019.

In addition to Ongbamrungphan, Thailand's women's singles team is strengthened by the world’s sixth-ranked player, Pornpawee Chochuwong. She won the Thailand Masters and was a finalist at the India Open in January, before arriving in Qingdao. In her journey to winning the Thailand Masters, Chochuwong defeated two Indonesian athletes who are also competing in Qingdao, namely Putri and Komang Ayu Cahya Dewi.

Putri's track record of always losing in meetings with Ongbamrungphan, as well as with Chochuwong, makes Thailand superior in the women's singles sector. Moreover, Indonesia is not strengthened by Gregoria Mariska Tunjung.

I learned from the last meeting against Busanan. At that time, we were far ahead, but we were overtaken. I will try to make sure that doesn't happen again.

However, Putri was able to repay the trust given to her. The 22-year-old athlete always won two games in three matches. Her performance against Ongbamrungphan was even better than the match when Indonesia defeated Hong Kong in the group stage and Taiwan (quarter-finals).

Putri's game is quite varied, she can attack quickly or launch a "deep" forehand lob until the shuttlecock falls around the opponent's back line. The game at the net, too, made it difficult for Ongbamrungphan who had always defeated Putri in the other three meetings. Putri won with a score of 21-10, 21-8 in 33 minutes which was her fastest match against Ongbamrungphan.

"I am very happy to be able to play freely and contribute points for Indonesia. I learned from the last meeting against Busanan. At that time, I was far ahead, but I was overtaken. I tried to make sure that doesn't happen again," said Putri, recounting her three-game defeat in the quarterfinals of the 2024 Malaysia Masters.

The women's win gave Indonesia a 2-1 lead after dropping the first match of the mixed doubles and Alwi Farhan winning the men's singles in the second match. Alwi defeated Panitchapon Teeraratsakul 21-13, 21-18.

The two have faced each other before and Alwi won, but that was in his junior days, three years ago. However, the 19-year-old Indonesian player does not want to remember that meeting, nor the condition of Indonesia who were behind 0-1 after Dejan Ferdinansyah/Siti Fadia Silva Ramadhanti lost to Supak Jomkoh/Sapsiree Taerattanachai 13-21, 20-22.

"I know, Aa Dejan and Kak Fadia have tried their best, so I also want to do my best for the Indonesian team," said Alwi who has experience defending Indonesia in team events, although most of them are still at the junior level.

After winning the previous two matches, this time, Dejan/Fadia got lessons from more experienced players, even though Jomkoh and Taerattanachai are also a new pair.

Taerattanachai ended his partnership with Dechapol Puavaranukroh after the 2024 Paris Olympics and played with Jomkoh since October 2024. In addition to winning 17 BWF World Tour tournaments, the Puavarnukroh/Taerattanachai duo achieved their highest achievement when they became world champions in 2021.

From that experience, Taerattanachai played better in controlling the game pattern. In contrast, Dejan and Fadia played below the performance shown against Taiwan in the quarterfinals.

They made many mistakes, especially through inaccurate shots. Dejan's smash aimed at the sideline, for example, actually made the shuttlecock fall outside the court, as did Fadia's block to block the opponent's shot in front of the net.

"We have performed optimally, bringing out all our abilities, but there is still an evaluation that must be done, especially how to organize the game so as not to rush. Today we learned from Sapsiree who is very experienced, she knows exactly how to control on the field," said Fadia.

Indonesia's third win was finally achieved by the men's doubles pair, Muhammad Shohibul Fikri/Daniel Marthin, who defeated Peeratchai Sukphun/Pakkapon Teeraratsakul 21-13, 21-16.

After this, one more challenge will be faced, namely against China or Japan. Indonesia will appear in the final for the first time since the Asian Championship in the mixed team category was held biennially since 2017. Japan won the first edition, after which China won in 2019 and 2023. The 2021 edition was not held due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

INDONESIA SEMIFINAL – THAILAND 3-1

Mixed doubles

Dejan Ferdinansyah/Siti Fadia Silva Ramadhanti vs Supak Jomkoh/Sapsiree Taerattanachai 13-21, 20-22

Men's Singles

Alwi Farhan vs Panitchapon Teeraratsakul 21-13, 21-18

Women's singles

Putri Kusuma Wardani vs Busanan Ongbamrungphan 21-10, 21-8

Men's Doubles

Muhammad Shohibul Fikri/Daniel Marthin vs Peeratchai Sukphun/Pakkapon Teeraratsakul 21-13, 21-16

Women's Doubles

Lanny Tria Mayasari/Siti Fadia Silva Ramadhanti vs Benyapa Aimsaard/Nuntakarn Aimsaard (not played)