KBRN, Jakarta: Indonesian seasoned shuttler Gloria Emanuelle Widjaja will form a mixed doubles partnership with Singapore’s Terry Hee at the BWF World Tour Super 500 Indonesia Masters 2026, set to take place at Istora Senayan, Jakarta, from January 20–25.

The collaboration marks a rare cross-national pairing in the BWF World Tour season, with Gloria welcoming the opportunity given her familiarity with Hee’s playing style from past training sessions and tournament encounters.

“When I received the offer to partner with Terry, I thought, why not give it a try? He is a very smart tactical player, highly skilled, and experienced at the top level,” Gloria told The Straits Times on Monday, January 12, 2026, as quoted by Antara.

The 32 years old Gloria believes her experience is a crucial asset in building chemistry in mixed doubles, where communication and role clarity are vital.

“We’ve faced each other before and even trained together. I trust Terry, and I hope we can work well as a team in the upcoming tournament and achieve good results,” she added.

Gloria is among Indonesia’s most accomplished mixed doubles players. A 2011 junior world champion, she previously reached world No. 6 with Hafiz Faisal in 2019, climbed to No. 8 with Dejan Ferdinansyah in 2024, and ranked No. 13 alongside Rehan Kusharjanto in 2025.

Her chance to compete with Hee comes after Rehan suffered a serious knee injury. Gloria emphasized she remains supportive of Rehan’s recovery while staying open to new partnerships.

Singapore’s national doubles coach Paulus Firman praised Gloria as an ideal partner for Hee, citing her technical quality and deep understanding of mixed doubles play. “Gloria has long played in mixed doubles and knows her role at the front. In terms of skill and experience, she is at a high level,” Paulus said.

During this collaboration, Gloria will continue training in Indonesia with PB Djarum, while Hee follows his program in Singapore under the national association. The pair will reunite at tournaments according to the season’s schedule.

The Indonesia Masters 2026 will serve as their first test together, providing an early evaluation before ongoing performance reviews throughout the year. ***