Fajar/Fikri Advance Past Japanese Pair at China Open; Rehan/Gloria Eliminated

Indonesian men's doubles duo Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Shohibul Fikri have secured a spot in the quarterfinals of the China Open 2026. The second seeds overcame a strong challenge in the first game before decisively defeating Japan's Takumi Nomura and Yuichi Shimogami with a score of 21-19, 21-11 in the round of 16.

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The wind direction here is really strong.

Fajar described the match as challenging, particularly noting the strong crosswinds on court one as a significant factor compared to their previous matches. "The wind direction here is really strong," Fajar stated in an official release from PBSI. He explained that playing with the wind in the first game led to excessive caution, hindering their ability to build a lead. Conversely, when playing against the wind in the second game, they adjusted their strategy to engage in longer rallies, which proved effective in controlling the match.

In the quarterfinals, Fajar and Fikri will face the winner of the match between Japan's Hoki Takuro/Yugo Kobayashi and South Korea's Kang Min-hyuk/Ki Dong-ju. Fajar emphasized their focus on preparation, regardless of the opponent. "Both pairs have very good games, but whoever the opponent is, we want to focus on preparing ourselves, especially regarding my focus, which I feel isn't optimal yet. Hopefully, it will improve tomorrow," he said.

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Both pairs have very good games, but whoever the opponent is, we want to focus on preparing ourselves, especially regarding my focus, which I feel isn't optimal yet. Hopefully, it will improve tomorrow.

Fikri highlighted the importance of staying calm during crucial long rallies in the first game. "In the last point of the first game, I just tried to stay focused during the long rally, reading the movement and the ball's direction, so I could execute the touch well," Fikri commented. Meanwhile, Indonesia's journey in the mixed doubles ended when Rehan Naufal Kusharjanto and Gloria Emanuelle Widjaja lost to Denmark's third seeds, Mathias Christiansen and Alexandra Boje, with scores of 8-21, 14-21. Rehan acknowledged the opponents' peak performance, stating they played with great confidence, and admitted they failed to maintain composure and lost momentum despite attempting strategic changes in the second game. Gloria added that the wind conditions on court differed from expectations, serving as an area for evaluation ahead of the Taipei Open next week.

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In the last point of the first game, I just tried to stay focused during the long rally, reading the movement and the ball's direction, so I could execute the touch well.