Indonesian Son Of Berjaya In All England, Putri Still Looking For The Figure Of Susy Susanti Baru

JAKARTA Jonatan Christie's success in winning the All England was marked by a record series. On the other hand, Indonesia is still waiting for women's badminton athletes to shine again in the world arena.

Sunday (17/3/2024) Jonatan Christie raised the Red and White flag at Utilita Arena, Birmingham after defeating his compatriot, Anthony Sinisuka Ginting, two straight sets 21-15 and 21-14.

The victory of the athlete who is familiarly called Jojo also made a number of sweet notes. Jonathan became Indonesia's first singles badminton player to successfully win the All England after Hariyanto Arbi did it in 1994 or 30 years ago. The Jonatan vs Ginting party has also been a duel among Indonesia in the final of the world's oldest badminton championship since Hariyanto Arbi against Ardy B Wiranata three decades ago.

For Jonathan personally, this is the first time in his career to win a Super 1000 title by winning the All England.

The name Indonesia on British soil is even more fragrant because it combines the All England men's singles title with the men's doubles after Fajar Alfian/Muhammad Rian Ardianto's pair. The pair, who are ranked seventh in the world, defended their title by arresting Malaysian representatives Aaron Chia/Soh Wooi Yik straight set 21-16 and 21-16.

"I am proud because after a long time finally there was the men's singles who won the All England. Yesterday at the end of the year, there was no one to win," said Adriyanti Firdasari.

"Suddenly we entered the All England final and became champions. Hopefully this will increase their motivation and other players towards the Paris Olympics," Firdasari added.

The pair's victory, known as Fajri, also confirmed the dominance of men's singles in this annual tournament. Indonesian men's doubles have won the All England three times in a row.

In total, the Indonesian men's doubles have won 24 times while the men's singles have won 16 times at the All England event. This record seems to be inversely proportional to the women's sector, where the singles have only won four times, with Susy Susanti's last won in 1994. The women's doubles had the highest podium and the Verawaty Fadjrin pair won the last time with Imelda Wiguna.

The achievements of men and women who are absent are of their own concern. Indonesia seems to have difficulty scoring another Susy Susanti who can make the nation proud in the international arena.

Adriyanti Firdasari, a former national badminton player in the country, said there were a number of factors that caused women's achievements to knock after the Susy Susanti era.

Firdasari said, in the men's sector, athlete regeneration continues, almost never breaks up. For example, when the pair Marcus Gideon and Kevin Sanjaya consistently ranked first in the world, under them, Hendra Setiawan/Mohammad Ahsan appeared to be consistent.

Currently, the names Muhammad Fikri/Bagas Maulana and Leo Carnando/Daniel Marthin are also the mainstays and positions under the two pairs mentioned at the beginning. Likewise with the men's singles, although not as massive as the men's doubles. After the Taufik Hidayat era, Indonesia still has Anthony Sinisuka Ginting and Jonathan Christie who are the mainstays. Alwi Farhan, who is now 19, can be the successors of Ginting and Jojo.

"In the men's sector, regeneration continues, almost never breaks up. Those who excel must be role models, become role models for the juniors," said Firdasari during a conversation with VOI.

"Meanwhile in the women, after the Susy Susanti era, there was actually Mia Audina, but when she decided to move citizens, practically no one else became role models," added Firdasari.

Mia Audia was once an idol for all Indonesian people. At the age of only 14 years, she has strengthened the Indonesian team in the Uber Cup. He is also the youngest player in the history of the event.

The woman who was born in 1979 was later nicknamed The Magic Children because she was the determinant of Indonesia's victory when she won the 1994 and 1996 Uber Cups. But in 1999 Mia Audia decided to move to become a Dutch citizen after marrying Tylio Arlo Lobman.

At that time she was only 17 years old and Mia's career was good. If she was still in the Red and White uniform, it was not impossible that her name could match or even exceed Susy Susanti because from her calculations, her career journey was still very long.

"After Mia left, it seemed as if she had broken the regeneration of the women's sector and no one was used as an example or role model with the juniors," said Firdasari again.

However, that does not mean that Indonesia must give up hope. According to Firdasari, the name Gregoria Mariska Tunjung is expected to be a motivation for juniors below.

Until now, there is no one in the women's singles sector that looks very prominent. But there is Grego who is starting to stabilize in the top 10 and hopefully this can be a motivation for the younger siblings below him, "concluded Firdasari, who is now training the women's singles sector of the U-15 group at PB Jaya Raya.

Meanwhile, Susy himself in an interview several years ago said that the vacuum of world-class female players from Indonesia could not be separated from negligence in regenerating after she retired in the late 1990s.

"There is a time when we lose a generation. Now this is to restore it requires a process. Now we find one or two players, even then we have not been able to show maximum achievements, [appression] is the highest," said Susy.