Ginting Advances, Ubed Falls at Swiss Open 2026 First Round

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesian shuttler Anthony Sinisuka Ginting advanced to the second round of the Swiss Open 2026, while compatriot Mohammad Zaki “Ubed” Ubaidillah was eliminated after a tough opening-round match in Basel, Switzerland.

Ginting secured his place in the next round after defeating Chinese Taipei’s Wang Tzu Wei 21-11, 21-17 at St. Jakobshalle on Thursday morning, March 12, 2026, local time. The 29-year-old said the men’s singles field at the tournament is highly competitive, but he prefers to focus on his own performance.

“We can see that many of the top players are competing here, so it is exciting,” Ginting said in a statement released by the Indonesian Badminton Association (PBSI) on Thursday, March 12, as quoted by Antara.

“Thank God I was able to progress to the second round, so I will try to stay focused on myself,” he added.

Ginting said the key to his victory was reading Wang’s playing pattern, particularly the opponent’s strong defensive ability. “I was more confident in controlling the shuttle. Against Wang Tzu Wei, you can’t get easy points, so you really have to develop your game and rely on strategy,” he said.

He will next face China’s Wang Zheng Xing, currently ranked 26th in the world, in what will be their first meeting.

Meanwhile, Ubed fell to China’s Li Shi Feng 22-24, 21-16, 16-21 in the opening round after struggling with physical discomfort during the match. “Li Shi Feng was more prepared and more resilient in the final points. This is a lesson and evaluation for me to be more resilient and focused,” Ubed said.

The match marked Ubed’s first meeting with the world number seven. He admitted that his condition was not optimal due to cramps in his calf and thigh, which affected his movement, particularly in the deciding third game. During the final game, Ubed approached the umpire to inform them about the condition of his thigh.

Facing the tournament’s top seed, Ubed said he had studied his opponent’s playing style but struggled to maintain rhythm during crucial moments. “I was ready to play a physically demanding match and test endurance, but today I wasn’t fortunate,” he concluded. ***