Bimo/Nabila Advance to Second Round of BWF World Championships 2026

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesian mixed doubles shuttlers Bimo Prasetyo/Arlya Nabila Thesya Munggaran advanced to the second round of the 2026 BWF World Championships. The pair defeated France's Julien Maio/Lea Palermo in a dramatic rubber game, 21-12, 13-21, 22-20.

The match lasted 65 minutes on Court 4 at Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, India, on Tuesday, August 18, 2026. After the match, Arlya Nabila Thesya Munggaran said she was happy to secure the victory.

“Alhamdulillah, we were still given the victory today. We were trailing 16-20 in the deciding game, but we tried to play nothing to lose, believe in what we have, and not think about winning or losing,” she said.

This was Bimo Prasetyo/Arlya Nabila Thesya Munggaran's first match at the World Championships. Nabila said the combination of nervousness and excitement presented a challenge on court.

“This was our first match at the World Championships, so we were definitely nervous but very excited. That had a slight impact on our performance on court. We have to control our emotions better and maintain consistency in the next match,” she continued.

According to Bimo Prasetyo, Julien/Maio found their rhythm in the second and third games, leaving Bimo/Nabila confused. Fortunately, Bimo said, he and his partner were able to regain their focus.

“After we won the first game, our opponents started playing better and became more active, while we were the ones who became confused in the second and third games until 16-20. Finally, we thought about focusing on one point at a time and not making unforced errors. Eventually, we gradually managed to catch up,” he said.

Bimo said he was happy to compete at the World Championships but emphasized that the opportunity needs to be maximized now with his partner.

“It feels great to play at the World Championships. The atmosphere is extraordinary and different from the tournaments we have played before. We don't know whether we will have another opportunity like this, so we want to make the most of it now,” he concluded. (Diffa Sephiawardhani)