Indonesia's Wahyu/Pulung Advance to Pontianak International Challenge Round of 16

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia’s men’s doubles pair Wahyu Agung Prasetyo/Pulung Ramadhan advanced to the round of 16 at the Polytron Pontianak International Challenge 2026 after defeating Chinese Taipei’s Chiang Chien-Wei/Yu Shiang Chou 23–21, 21–16 on Wednesday, August 26, 2026.

Pulung revealed that this was his first time partnering with Wahyu. “It felt a little strange stepping onto the court because I usually play with Ansel (Anselmus Breagit Fredy Prasetya),” he admitted after the match at GOR Taruna sports hall, Pontianak.

“But once we were on court, the chemistry and connection worked quite well," he added.

He explained that the synergy was shaped by long preparation, during which he and Wahyu refined their no‑lob playing pattern. “The extended preparation really helped. In training, we focused on sharpening our playing style and strengthening our no‑lob strategy,” Pulung said.

Wahyu added that their good coordination also came from their close relationship off the court. “Besides the long training sessions, we’ve been close outside the court. We even shared a room in the dormitory,” he noted.

Reflecting on their performance, Wahyu admitted they struggled early in the first game. “We made too many unforced errors, which allowed our opponents to catch up. But once we managed to recover, we turned things around and stayed ahead until the end of the second set.”

Looking ahead, Wahyu emphasized the need for improvement. “We must increase our focus, maintain consistency, and improve our starts,” he said. (Diffa Sephiawardhani)