RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesian mixed doubles shuttlers Jafar Hidayatullah and Felisha Pasaribu have successfully advanced to the next round of the Indonesia Open 2026, in Jakarta. The duo defeated the South Korean pair, Jang Eun-seo and Kim Jan-Hyeon, in a convincing straight-game match.

The victory was secured after Jafar and Felisha delivered a dominant performance from the opening serve until the end of the match. This result serves as crucial capital for the Indonesian pair as they prepare to face tougher challenges ahead.

Felisha expressed her gratitude for securing the win and putting on a reasonably good performance during the match. However, she noted that the result has not left her fully satisfied with their overall play throughout the game.

“I am grateful to still secure a victory today and to play a reasonably good match alongside my partner. If asked about happiness, of course I am happy, but as for satisfaction, I feel it is not completely there yet,” she said when met by reporters after the match at Istora Senayan, South Jakarta, on Wednesday, June 3, 2026.

According to her, every match in the subsequent phases will feature opponents with an escalating quality of play. Consequently, she is determined to continuously improve their performance to remain competitive and keep their chances alive for a deeper run.

She emphasized that winning will not come easily if she and her partner fail to elevate their game from the previous match. Therefore, a thorough evaluation remains necessary despite having already secured a ticket to the next round.

“The further we advance in this tournament, the quality of our opponents will certainly increase and present different challenges later on. Therefore, we must keep improving our performance to be able to compete and achieve the best possible result next,” she added.

Meanwhile, Jafar Hidayatullah said that the speed of the shuttlecock also influenced the flow of the match against the South Korean pair. He noted that the court conditions this time differed from their previous encounter, which had utilized a slower character of shuttlecock.

He explained that the playing style of the South Korean representatives tends to benefit when the shuttlecock moves slower throughout the match. Furthermore, more meticulous tactical preparation helped the Indonesian pair read and understand their opponents' gameplay patterns.

"The biggest difference was the speed of the shuttlecock because today's conditions were vastly different compared to our last meeting. Aside from that, we had better preparation, allowing us to anticipate the opponent's gameplay to the maximum extent," explained Jafar.

Jafar credited the coaching staff for analyzing the opponents' play style based on their previously available matches. This preparation was deemed instrumental in helping them execute their strategy more effectively and clinch a victory in the opening match. (Annaila Azzahra/EN)