Indonesia's Sabar/Reza Settle for Australian Open 2026 Runner-Up Finish

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia's men's doubles pair Sabar Karyaman Gutama and Moh Reza Pahlevi Isfahani ended their Australian Open 2026 campaign as runners-up after falling to China's Chen Bo Yang and Liu Yi in the final on Sunday, June 14, 2026.

Seeded third, Sabar and Reza were defeated 15-21, 19-21 by the fourth-seeded Chinese duo in a closely contested match.

Reza said he remained grateful to complete the tournament without injury, despite struggling to cope with the opponents' playing style from the opening stages of the match.

"We are still grateful that we finished the match without any injuries. From the beginning, we were under pressure from their style of play," Reza said, as quoted on the Indonesian Badminton Association (PBSI) official website.

He added that conditions in Sydney differed significantly from those at last week's Indonesia Open, with heavier shuttlecocks favoring the Chinese pair's approach.

"The conditions here are different from the Indonesia Open because the shuttle feels heavier, which suited their game. They were difficult to break down, and that caused us to lose focus at times," he said.

Sabar acknowledged that Chen and Liu delivered a stronger performance on the day, particularly through their disciplined defensive play. "They played much safer and their defense was much tighter. They were simply much better than us today," Sabar said.

Despite missing out on the title, Sabar viewed the result as an important milestone for the partnership.

"Although we did not win the championship, this result is very important for us. Hopefully, it becomes a turning point that helps us perform better and gain more confidence in future tournaments," he concluded. ***