Indonesia's Chiara Marvella Marks Triumphant Return, Advances to Round of 32

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia’s women’s singles shuttler Chiara Marvella Handoyo advanced to the round of 32 at the Polytron Pontianak International Challenge 2026 after defeating India’s Naishaa Kaur Bhatoye 21–12, 21–16 at GOR Terpadu, Pontianak, on Wednesday, August 26, 2026.

After the match, Chiara expressed her joy at being able to perform well despite an eight‑month absence due to injury. The 21‑year‑old admitted she had doubts about competing but decided to take the chance.

“Thank God I’m happy to be back after eight months away for recovery. I was hesitant at first, but now I’m here and I hope to stay injury‑free until the end,” she said.

Chiara acknowledged feeling tense on court, having been away from competition for so long. “Stepping onto the court was nerve‑wracking. Even though I train every day, the atmosphere is different. That’s why many of my shots were hesitant,” she explained.

She was grateful for her coach’s constant reassurance. “Fortunately, my coach kept calming me down, encouraging me, and convincing me that my playing pattern was already good,” Chiara noted.

She added that support from her parents and faith in God were the keys to her comeback. “My parents’ support and surrendering to God gave me the strength to return to competition,” she said. (Diffa Sephiawardhani)