RRI.CO.ID, Sukoharjo - Indonesian junior tennis player Joachim Mika Gunawan is targeting a semifinal win against American opponent Brandon Duan at the DETEC International Junior Championship 2026, set to take place at Gelora Merdeka Tennis Stadium, Sukoharjo, Central Java, on Friday, June 5.

The 17-year-old from Life Community School, West Jakarta, expressed full readiness ahead of the clash, determined to avenge his earlier defeat in the opening week of the tournament.

“Tomorrow I’ll try to play bravely, without hesitation, and stick to my game plan. I’ll be watchful with his serve, which is his main strength. In our first meeting, I rushed my returns too much. This time I’ll focus on neutralizing the ball before going on the attack,” Mika said.

Mika advanced to the semifinal after overcoming fellow Indonesian Muchammad Azka Azzam Al Arsyad in the quarterfinals. He admitted facing significant challenges before sealing the win.

“Honestly, I struggled. In the first set I was leading 3-0 but got caught at 3-3. At first he hit aggressively and made a lot of errors, but then he started slicing and changing the tempo. I lost patience before finally closing it out 6-4,” Mika recalled.

After dropping the second set, Mika regrouped and secured victory in the decider by applying a stamina-draining strategy.

“In the last set, I had the physical edge. I tried to extend rallies and make him run until he was exhausted,” he explained.

The other semifinal will feature Indonesian player Rafael Enrico Pribadi against Rafa Jeconia Verdasco Mangunsong, guaranteeing at least one home representative in the boys’ singles final.

The International Tennis Federation (ITF) -sanctioned tournament also promises fierce competition in the boys’ doubles, where Mika and Rafa will face off for the championship title.

Meanwhile, the girls’ singles draw has been dominated by East Asian players, with four foreign competitors advancing to the semifinals after eliminating Indonesia’s representatives.

Indonesia’s hopes now rest on the girls’ doubles pair Kaylee and Quirina, the fourth seeds, who booked their place in the final after defeating fellow Indonesians in the semifinals. (Diffa Sephiawardhani)