Indonesian Mixed Doubles Reflect After Early Badminton Asia Championship Exit

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia’s mixed doubles pairs are treating their early exits at the 2026 Badminton Asia Championships (BAC) in Ningbo, China, as an opportunity for reflection and growth after falling short against higher-ranked opponents on Tuesday, April 7.

Bobby Setiabudi and Melati Daeva Oktavianti bowed out in the round of 32, losing in straight games to Thailand’s third-seeded duo, Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Supissara Paewsampran, 9-21, 14-21.

For Bobby, the defeat underscored the steep learning curve of competing at this level.

“I am grateful for today but not fully satisfied with the result because there is still a lot to improve, especially for myself. This is my first time playing at this level, so I need to learn a lot more,” he said in a statement released by the Indonesian Badminton Association (PBSI), as quoted by Antara.

Melati echoed his sentiments, acknowledging the quality of their opponents while stressing the need for both partners to raise their game.

“We understand how our opponents play and they are top players. We tried our best, but as Bobby said, there are still many shortcomings that need to be improved so we can at least play more solidly next time,” she noted.

The tournament also carried personal significance for Melati, marking her return to a major competition with a new partner after a lengthy absence from top-level events.

“Competing in BAC again with a different partner is something I am grateful for. It has been a long time since I last played at this level, so I really missed it,” she added.

In another match, Indonesia’s Adnan Maulana/Indah Cahaya Sari Jamil also exited in the round of 32 after losing to Taiwan’s Ye Hong Wei and Nicole Gonzales Chan, 16-21 and 18-21.

Adnan admitted that they struggled to cope with pressure from the start of the match. “From the beginning we were under pressure and could not get out of it,” Adnan said.

He highlighted the need to improve their preparation and defensive resilience to better handle fast-paced opponents. “Our evaluation is that we need to be more prepared at the start and improve our defense and counterattacks, because we were not strong enough to withstand the pressure,” he added.

Indah pointed out the quality of their opponents’ attack, particularly from the male player who was able to control the rallies and reach many shots. “From the attacking side, they were very good. Almost every shuttle was covered by the male player,” Indah said.

Despite the early elimination, both Indonesian pairs are determined to use the experience as a learning opportunity to enhance their performance in future tournaments, especially in building better coordination, stronger starts and more solid defense against top-level Asian pairs. ***