Indonesia's Fajar/Fikri Advance to Round of 16 at Singapore Open 2026

RRI.CO.ID,Jakarta - Indonesian men’s doubles pair, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Shohibul Fikri, advanced to the round of 16 at the Singapore Open 2026 after defeating Taiwan’s Fang-Chih Lee and Fang-Jen Lee in a hard-fought rubber game.

The second-round clash lasted 67 minutes at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on Wednesday, May 27, with Fajar/Fikri prevailing 15–21, 21–17, 21–15.

According to BWF statistics, the Indonesian duo struggled in the opening game. Despite leading 12–9, they conceded 10 consecutive points after the interval, allowing Fang-Chih/Fang-Jen to snatch the first game.

“Alhamdulillah, I’m grateful for the victory today, even though we didn’t play at our best. In the first game we were ahead, but then gave away 10 straight points because of too many unforced errors,” Fajar Alfian admitted after the match.

The second game also began with Taiwan in control, quickly taking the interval lead. But Fajar and Fikri gradually clawed back to level the match.

“At the start of the second game, I was rushing and panicking about which strategy to use. We trailed at the interval, but thankfully we managed to fight back point by point and turn it around,” said Fajar, who captained Indonesia at the Thomas Cup.

In the decider, the Indonesians dominated, seizing the interval and maintaining their advantage until the finish. Fajar credited their coach’s instructions to play at a faster tempo against Taiwan’s defensive style.

“Our coach kept telling us to play fast because they rely on defense and counterattacks. Their safe placement made things difficult, but we kept pushing them into drive exchanges,” Fajar explained.

Muhammad Shohibul Fikri echoed his partner, noting their shaky start. “In the first game we made too many unforced errors, and in the second our start was really poor," he said.

"We fell far behind, but we kept convincing ourselves and each other to break free from the pressure. Alhamdulillah, we managed to turn the momentum around, and that gave us back our confidence,” he added. (Diffa Sephiawardhani)