Fajar/Rian's Mental Test in the First Match of the World Championships

PARIS, TUESDAY – A "match point" in a badminton match does not automatically translate to an advantageous position for the player who has it, nor does it disadvantage their opponent. The right mental attitude leads one of them towards victory.

The moment was depicted in one of the second round matches of the men's doubles of the Badminton World Championships at the Adidas Arena, Paris, France, Tuesday (26/8/2025). One of the players was Fajar Alfian/Muhammad Rian Ardianto, an Indonesian pair who have twice been semifinalists at the World Championships. The fourth seeds faced Hung Kuei Chun/Lui Chun Wai (Hong Kong) in their first match in Paris after receiving a bye in the first round.

Based on their competition experience and position in the world rankings, Hung/Lui are ranked below Fajar/Rian. They are currently in the 116th position in the world, while Fajar/Rian hold the fourth position.

However, the disparity in statistics was not apparent when they met on Court 4 on the second day of the tournament. Fajar/Rian were nearly eliminated by Hung/Lui with their fast-paced play. After splitting the first two games, Fajar/Rian trailed 16-20. A single winner from their opponents or a single error from themselves could have eliminated Fajar/Rian as the first Indonesian pair.

In that situation, there was only one goal in the minds of Fajar/Rian, which was to keep trying. Trying to earn points one by one regardless of the final outcome, even though they had at one point resigned themselves.

The effort paid off when Fajar finally secured point after point through his serve. The athlete, who often plays near the net as the playmaker, calmly delivered six serves, without a single error. Two of them were flick serves, which also resulted in points. Fajar/Rian escaped the "eye of the needle" with one match point after thwarting four of their opponents.

When Fajar/Rian could remain calmer, their opponents did the opposite. With the advantage of being just one step away from victory, Hung/Lui played hastily. With this attitude, Hung/Lui ultimately lost a significant opportunity to create a surprise.

In the future, regardless of the opponent, we must fight and remain vigilant because surprises are very likely to occur in this championship.

In addition to continuously striving until the opponent is confirmed to win, Fajar recounted that he focused on playing his role in the front line while Rian took charge in the back during those critical moments. This approach left the opponent with little room to attack.

"Moving forward, regardless of the opponent, we must fight and cannot be complacent because surprises are very likely to occur in this championship. I hope that after this crucial victory, we can play better," said Fajar.

The moment experienced by Fajar/Rian demonstrates that the first match is not always easy for anyone. Moreover, each athlete has multiplied motivation in the World Championship, at least to perform at their best, regardless of the outcome. Hung/Lui showcased a positive aspect when facing Fajar/Rian, namely playing without pressure, even though they ultimately lost.

The first round on the first day of the championship was even marked by the elimination of the fourth seed in men's singles, Li Shi Feng, and the tenth seed in women's singles, Ratchanok Intanon. Li was defeated by Japanese player Yushi Tanaka, while Intanon was ousted by Nguyen Thuy Linh from Vietnam.

The next challenge for Fajar/Rian comes from a more experienced pair, Takuro Hoki/Yugo Kobayashi. This Japanese duo has even achieved better results than Fajar/Rian at the World Championships. They reached the finals in Basel 2019 (losing to Hendra Setiawan/Mohamad Ahsan) and became world champions in Huelva 2021.

Fajar/Rian led 5-3 against Hoki/Kobayashi, but seven of the previous eight encounters were always closely contested. Only in the final of the 2022 Thailand Open was the match not completed due to Fajar suffering from a back injury.

A tougher opponent will be faced by Leo Rolly Carnando/Bagas Maulana in the third round. After winning against Eloi Adam/Leo Rossi, Leo/Bagas will compete against the current best men's doubles pair, Seo Seung-jae/Kim Won-ho. This South Korean duo arrives at the World Championship with five titles in 2025, three of which are from the Super 1000 level, namely the Malaysia Open, All England, and Indonesia Open.

The other Indonesian men's doubles pair, Sabar Karyaman Gutama/Mohammad Reza Pahlevi Isfahani, will compete in the second round on Wednesday. The eighth seeds will make their debut at the World Championship against Rasmus Kjaer/Frederik Soegaard.

In addition to Fajar/Rian, Rinov Rivaldy/Pitha Haningtyas Mentari had to go through a three-game match on Tuesday. Competing in the first round, Rinov/Pitha lost the first game but rallied in the next two games against Lu Ming Che/Hung En Tzu (Taiwan) and won 14-21, 21-15, 21-15.

Another mixed doubles pair, Jafar Hidayatullah/Felisha Alberta Nathaniel Pasaribu, will get their first taste of playing in the World Championships in the second round on Wednesday, after receiving a bye in the first round.

In the men's singles competition, Anthony Sinisuka Ginting could not follow in the footsteps of Jonatan Christie, who advanced to the second round. Jonatan won against Matthias Kicklitz (Germany) with a score of 21-15, 21-5, while Anthony lost to Toma Junior Popov with a score of 18-21, 21-19, 23-25.

Nevertheless, there is a positive aspect demonstrated by Anthony in the match, which was a rematch of the group stage of the Paris 2024 Olympics. He played better compared to his defeat in the first round at the Japan and China Opens.

The two tournaments and the World Championship were participated in by Anthony after being absent from competition since January due to a right shoulder injury. The matches in these three championships were played without pain in his arm, which is another positive aspect for his preparation moving forward.

"From the matches I have participated in, there is no pain in my hand, but it still needs to be taken care of. Now, it is about how I can restore my competitive spirit because the training and match situations are different. In the previous match, for instance, there was a battle of strategy and mentality," said Anthony.

The clash of strategies and mentalities occurred throughout the match, which lasted one hour and 32 minutes, particularly in the third game. Anthony initially led 10-7, then fell behind 14-17. After reaching 17-17, the point difference between the two players remained within a single point.

Anthony created match point early, 20-19, but failed to add another point when he couldn't reach Popov's return smash. Anthony fell after launching the smash, unable to reach Popov's shuttlecock, which was cheered on by the home crowd.

Anthony's left leg cramped when he fell, and the pain worsened when Popov had his third match point at 24-23. He struggled to stand after the match until Popov helped him.

Another Indonesian solo player who competed in the first round on Tuesday was Alwi Farhan, who faced Nguyen Hai Dang. The match early Wednesday morning, Indonesian time, marked Alwi's debut in the World Championship.

In the women's singles, Putri Kusuma Wardani faced Lo Sin Yan Happy in the first round. Meanwhile, Gregoria Mariska Tunjung, as the only representative from Indonesia competing on Monday, won against Petra Maixnerova with a score of 21-10, 21-9 to face Danish player, Julie Dawall Jakobsen.