RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesian young men’s doubles pair Raymond Indra/Nikolaus Joaquin ended their campaign as runners-up at the Daihatsu Indonesia Masters 2026 on Sunday, January 25, 2026, after losing in straight games to Malaysia’s Nur Izzuddin/Goh Sze Fei, a defeat shaped by key errors and adaptation issues on the final-day court.

The Malaysian pair secured the title in straight games, winning 21-19, 21-13.

The opening game was closely contested, with Raymond/Joaquin managing to close the gap to 18-19 after trailing earlier. However, Izzuddin/Sze Fei held their nerve in the decisive moments to claim the first game.

Momentum shifted significantly in the second game as Raymond/Joaquin struggled to maintain consistency. A series of unforced errors allowed the Malaysian pair to build a commanding lead, with the Indonesians falling behind 6-20, leaving them with little chance of a comeback.

Joaquin said unfamiliar playing conditions on Court 1 affected their performance, as they had previously competed on Court 2 throughout the tournament.

“I think we didn’t play all out today. The main difficulty was adapting to the court because we had never played on Court 1 before. From the early rounds until yesterday, we always played on Court 2," Joaquin said, as quoted on the Indonesian Badminton Association (PBSI) official website.

"We still needed to adjust to the wind. Sometimes we forgot its direction when hitting, and that became a lesson for us. We have to be ready to play on any court, because our opponents face the same conditions,” Joaquin stated, adding that the match was evenly balanced early on, but crucial mistakes proved costly.

“In the first game, I think the play was balanced. But, at the crucial points, I made mistakes that shouldn’t have happened. We should have scored, but instead the momentum turned,” he added.

“In the second game, they played extremely well, from the first two shots to their net play, while we kept giving away points,” he continued.

Throughout the tournament, Raymond/Joaquin were also noted for engaging in psychological battles with their opponents, including senior Indonesian pair Fajar Alfian/Muhammad Shohibul Fikri. Joaquin explained that this approach was encouraged to build confidence.

“Since the beginning of the year, when we were paired by coach Chafidz Yusuf, he told us it was okay to be a bit cheeky, as long as it boosts our confidence and allows our game to come out. But it shouldn’t be excessive, just within limits,” he concluded.

Despite the men’s doubles setback, Indonesia claimed one title at the Super 500 tournament, which offered total prize money of USD 500,000. Alwi Farhan emerged as champion in men’s singles after a dominant 21-5, 21-6 victory over Thailand’s Panitchaphon Teeraratsakul in a 25-minute final. ***