Indonesia’s Last Men’s Doubles Hope Rafalentino/Ethan Advances at ITF M15 Bali
- 29 Jul 2026 12:38 WIB
- Voice of Indonesia
Key Points
- Rafalentino/Ethan advance to round two, the only Indonesian men’s doubles pair left in ITF M15 Bali.
- They rallied past India’s Heisnam/Rathi 4‑6, 6‑4, 10‑7, setting up a clash with third seeds Becroft/Sumizawa.
RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia’s young duo Rafalentino Ali Da Costa/Ethan David Zapp kept national hopes alive in the men’s doubles draw of the ITF M15 Amman Mineral Men’s World Tennis Championship Series II in Nusa Dua, Bali.
They are now the only Indonesian pair left in contention after securing a hard‑fought victory in the opening round. On Tuesday, July 28, the pair rallied from a set down to defeat India’s Shanker Heisnam/Arjun Rathi 4‑6, 6‑4, 10‑7 in a tense 78‑minute battle.
After dropping the first set, the Indonesians regrouped with disciplined play in the second before seizing control in the super tiebreak. “We played without pressure and focused on bringing out our best,” the pair said in a written statement, as quoted by Antara, crediting their fearless approach for the comeback win.
Their reward is a second‑round clash against third seeds Isaac Becroft of New Zealand and Daisuke Sumizawa of Japan on Wednesday. Rafalentino and Ethan vowed to stay true to their playing style and aim for an upset against the higher‑ranked opponents.
Meanwhile, Becroft/Sumizawa advanced by eliminating Indonesia’s Anthony Susanto/Gunawan Trismuwantara in three sets, 4‑6, 7‑5, 10‑1. Another Indonesian duo, Renaldi Aquila Salim/Ashwin Ryan Sharma, also bowed out after losing to Australia’s Jack Bruce‑Smith/Stefan Storch 2‑6, 6‑7(5).
With Rafalentino/Ethan now the nation’s sole representatives in the men’s doubles, Indonesia’s hopes rest on their shoulders as the tournament progresses. ***
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