April 29, 2026 | 01:28 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia’s men’s badminton team suffered a decisive 1–4 defeat to France in the 2026 Thomas Cup group stage, sealing an early exit and marking the country’s worst badminton performance since its tournament debut in 1958.
The tie, held at Forum Horsens in Denmark in the early hours of Wednesday, April 29, unfolded quickly against Indonesia, which failed to win any of the first four matches. The only point came in the final doubles match, when the result had already been decided.
What went wrong?
Indonesia’s campaign unraveled from the opening match. Jonatan Christie lost in straight games, 19–21, 14–21, to Christo Popov. He later cited physical issues following his previous match against Kunlavut Vitidsarn.
“But today I made many mistakes on my own and motivated him to return with more enthusiasm,” Jonatan said.
The pressure intensified in the second match, where Alwi Farhan was beaten 16–21, 19–21 by Alex Lanier. “That feeling haunted me. I felt more pressure,” Alwi said, adding that Lanier’s powerful shots proved difficult to anticipate.
“My anticipation lost a few times. He gained many points from that. I need to improve for the future.”
Trailing 0–2, Indonesia needed a turnaround from Anthony Sinisuka Ginting. He took the first game 22–20 against Toma Junior Popov but lost the next two, 15–21, 20–22. Ginting briefly led in the deciding game before suffering cramps at a crucial moment.
“When he regained his composure, I started to struggle, having to run after the shuttlecock,” he said.
The defeat put Indonesia 0–3 down, ending any chance of a comeback. The first doubles pair, Sabar Karyaman Gutama and Mohammad Reza Pahlevi Isfahani, also fell 19–21, 19–21 to Eloi Adam and Leo Rossi. Sabar pointed to the opponent’s confidence as a key factor.
“They had confidence after winning the previous match. Conversely, we couldn't control that pressure,” he said.
Indonesia avoided a complete sweep in the final match, with Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Shohibul Fikri defeating Christo Popov and Toma Junior Popov 21–18, 19–21, 21–11. However, the win only served as a consolation.
Why was Indonesia eliminated?
Despite earlier victories—5–0 over Algeria and 3–2 against Thailand—Indonesia finished third in Group D. Thailand and France advanced to the quarter-finals, with match results and margins proving decisive in the tightly contested group.
The outcome highlights a rare early exit for Indonesia, long regarded as one of badminton’s dominant nations, and underscores the growing competitiveness in the global men’s team event.
Read: Indonesia Knocked Out in 2026 Thomas Cup Group Stage
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