Fajar and Fikri Use Opening Match as Warm-Up Ahead of Tougher Tests

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia’s men’s doubles pair Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Shohibul Fikri treated their opening match at the Badminton Asia Championships (BAC) 2026 as a valuable warm-up, easing back into competitive rhythm after a month-long break.

Seeded fifth, the duo advanced smoothly to the second round with a commanding 21-12, 21-9 victory over the United Arab Emirates’ Dev Ayyappan and Dhiren Ayyappan at the Ningbo Olympic Sports Center in China on Wednesday, April 8.

Fajar said the match was an opportunity to regain momentum following their absence since the All England. “Alhamdulillah, we’re grateful everything went well today. It feels good to be back on court after about a month away,” he noted in a statement released by the Indonesian Badminton Association (PBSI) statement.

He explained that their main focus was adapting to match conditions, which differ from training. “We wanted to adjust to the court and shuttlecock, to get comfortable with the atmosphere and rhythm,” Fajar added.

In the round of 16, Fajar and Fikri will face China’s Chen Bo Yang and Liu Yi, finalists at BAC 2025. Fajar acknowledged their opponents’ confidence but welcomed the challenge. “We want to bring out our best performance to win,” he said.

Fikri emphasized the importance of recovery and preparation. “Even though today’s match wasn’t too exhausting, we still need to maintain our condition. We’ll also review our opponents’ matches with the coaches to plan the right strategy,” he concluded.

With tougher tests ahead, the Indonesian pair is determined to sharpen their game and prove their credentials against higher-ranked opponents, aiming to build on their strong start in Ningbo. ***